Discontinued
by You Are So Wonk
Summary: Rewrite 'Meraki' has been posted.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

Summary: She had never considered herself to be a necessarily motivational person. She had been too sick, too young, too… _common_. It took her dying of cancer and resurfacing in a different universe to realize she was something much _more_. OC-insert. Canon deviation.

* * *

Meraki(v.)- To do something with soul, creativity, or love. To put something of yourself into your work.

* * *

She could hear the birds chirping.

"How are you feeling today Chiyo-chan?"

It was a soft pretty sound. Of course, she hadn't actually been able to _see_ any birds in a while. But, she could still _faintly_ recall what they looked like. Their wings had always looked so-

 _Thwack!_

Chiyo's cheek throbbed as she stared at the person in front of her blankly. A perfectly manicured hand was retracted.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" A saccharine sweet voice inquired "I take time out of my busy schedule to come to visit _you_ , and _this_ is how you repay me? I ought to tell the boss,"

Chiyo didn't flinch at that. She _didn't_.

"You ungrateful little _swine_ -"

" _Megumi,"_ A stern voice interrupted.

The woman in front of her froze instantly. A pretty smile overtook her structured features.

"Yes, dear?"

"What did I tell you about coming here? Why don't you go keep Himiko-chan company?" The man ordered gently, leaving no room for argument.

"Oh alright," 'Megumi' relented with a pout. She sent Chiyo a look before making her exit "I'll see you later, Chiyo- _chan_ ,"

Chiyo glared at the brunette's retreating form and tried to avoid looking at the man in front of her.

"You don't want to look at me Chiyo-chan? After I've come all this way too," the man said, pushing his glasses up his nose "We're testing today y'know,"

Chiyo spat in the man's face and moved as far away from him as possible.

The bespectacled man just sighed and cleaned his face without complaint.

"Such a spitfire. But I must warn you Chiyo-chan, that attitude won't get you anywhere," His eyes gained a sharper look "And here I was planning to take you to see your _mother_ -"

Chiyo snapped to attention at that and grabbed the man's coat. She bared her pointed teeth and refused to relent in her grip.

"Take me to her. You _promised_ you would-"

"Ah, ah, ah Chiyo-chan. I only keep my promises to _good_ little girls. Not bad girls who spit in my face," The man stated cheerfully, green eyes shining.

"I… I'm _sorry_ -"

"It's too late Chiyo-chan. I guess _I_ just have to go keep your mother company for the day," The man sighed "Not that I mind of course,"

Her blood ran cold at that.

" _Wait_. I'll cooperate, just… just leave her _alone_ ," Chiyo begged "I won't try and run from you anymore,"

"You won't?" He inquired hopefully. Not unlike a child that was just about to be given his favorite toy "You won't curse at me anymore? Or try and claw at me?"

Chiyo shook her head half-heartedly.

"I promise," the girl replied brokenly.

The smile he aimed at her was all teeth as he led her out of the room she was inhabiting.

* * *

She hadn't always been known as Chiyo Koumori.

She knew it sounded weird, _unbelievable_ even. But this was something she just couldn't make up.

She had used to be a cancer patient, she remembered that much at least. She remembered being constricted to a hospital bed, and not having the ability to be a normal child. She remembered constant pain and _helplessness_.

 _(-Never again-)_

She remembered loneliness, then she remembered darkness.

Then… there was _nothing_.

The universe she had been reborn into was… it was different, to say the least. Everyone had something special about them.

There were people that could fly, people who could stretch their limbs. It was _beautiful_.

She… finally had a chance to be special and not just a common statistic.

 _('Did you know… that over 100,000 kids die from cancer a year? Our chances aren't very high are they?' he had told her with a sickly smile on his face)_

It was _sad_ how naive she had been.

She _was_ special in this lifetime. Incredibly special.

But at what cost she thought bitterly as she finally spotted her mother.

Nadeshiko Koumori wasn't a conventional beauty. With her gray skin, and her pointed ears Nadeshiko was the type of woman you had to _observe_ , learn about. If you didn't observe, you wouldn't be able to see her high cheekbones or her full lips. Or the way her black hair fell elegantly over her shoulder without her even trying.

A rare smile broke out across Chiyo's face as she ran into her mother's arms. Nadeshiko returned it immediately, albeit a bit tenderly.

Mother and daughter remained that way for a few moments before the man cleared his throat.

Nadeshiko winced and lifted her head slowly.

"A-Adachi-san," she began hesitantly "Would it be alright if I had a few moments alone with my daughter? I haven't seen her in the longest and you _did_ promise-"

A cold laugh escaped from Adachi's lips. It echoed off the walls, and caused Chiyo to cave in on herself.

"Are you really the one to talk about promises Nadeshiko? After all the ones you've _broken_? You're lucky I haven't killed you yet, you're useless anyway as is," Adachi sneered, breaking from the cheerful demeanor he had displayed only moments ago "You have ten minutes,"

He made to leave the room, before turning to Chiyo abruptly. The cheerful smile made its way back onto his face.

"I'll be back Chiyo- _chan_! Then we'll get testing out of the way,"

Chiyo buried her head in her mother's warm embrace and tries to push the upcoming events out of her mind.

Her mother strokes her hair softly, and her eyes widen once they catch sight of Chiyo's cheek.

"Who… who did this to you?" she questioned blankly. Chiyo just shook her head and remained silent.

Chiyo could still feel the slight tightness in Nadeshiko's frame, but the elder woman eventually lets it go.

"Wow, your hair's getting pretty long," Nadeshiko said wistfully "It'll go down to your back soon,"

Chiyo doesn't respond, and just whimpers slightly. Nadeshiko sighs, and continues to stroke Chiyo's hair.

"Chiyo… you can't let him break you. Promise me that no matter what he does you won't let him do that," Nadeshiko pleaded "He's not worth you losing yourself-"

"I can't do it anymore," Chiyo interrupted "I… I want to get out of here. I want to go _home_ ,"

Nadeshiko nodded at that solemnly. The two sat in a tense silence for a few moments, before a cool hand graced Chiyo's back.

"Hey, your wings are growing in," she stated cheerfully, desperately trying to change the subject "That's exciting isn't it?"

Chiyo blinked at that and nodded her head.

"My… my back _has_ been feeling weird lately. How long does it usually take?" Nadeshiko pressed a finger to her chin.

"Hmm… for me it took a few months for them to grow in and gain their full strength. It might take less for you though,"

Chiyo brightened at that, before wiping the smile from her face almost immediately.

"I… I'm sorry. It's hard for you isn't it?" Chiyo questioned brokenly. Nadeshiko stilled at that for a moment, before shaking her head.

"I… won't lie to you. It _is_ hard at times, but my happiness for you outweighs that," Nadeshiko stated as she patted Chiyo's head "I just hope that what happened to me, _never_ happens to you,"

Chiyo nods at that and tries to ignore the wheelchair her mother's currently sitting in. Or the hideous scars decorating her mother's back where her _own_ wings used to be.

"You're a wonderful girl Chiyo-chan, and you _will_ make it out of this alive. I promise," Nadeshiko stated somberly, pressing a kiss to Chiyo's forehead.

"You're wrong, _mama_ , _we'll_ make it out of this alive,"

A bitter smile overtakes Nadeshiko's face, but she doesn't nod her head at that.

* * *

It hadn't been the birds, Chiyo realized somberly. It had _never_ been the birds.

The lab had received new equipment. Equipment that made the most awful chirping sound known to man.

( _How had she ever thought that this sound was beautiful? It was revolting-)_

Chiyo winces as her companion presses yet another bandage to her person. Said companion just gives her an apologetic look.

"Sorry! I can't really do much else," the girl relayed quietly, hanging her head. Pink strands tickled her cheeks. "All I can do is watch helplessly. I'm so _useless_ -"

"Shut up," Chiyo interrupted bluntly "You're annoying me,"

The girl flinched at that and hung her head.

"S-sorry Chiyo-chan-"

"And stop apologizing," Chiyo hissed, wrenching her hand from the other girl's grip. "It's pathetic! Why don't you just leave me alone?"

Her companion wilted away, and Chiyo forced herself not to feel guilty.

 _("Emotions make you weak Chiyo-chan-")_

She has to duck when a projectile is thrown at her. Yellow eyes glare at her ferociously.

"Leave Nami-chan alone, you bully!" Himiko instructed her sternly "She's trying to help you!"

Chiyo glared back, red eyes narrowed.

"Did I ask for her help? Mind your business you _crybaby_ ," Chiyo sneered causing the other girl's eyes to widen.

"I am _not_ a crybaby!"

"You're crying right now, you _wimp_ ," Chiyo stated firmly. Surely enough, a few slight tears were filling up in the taller girl's eyes "Pinky over here is stronger than you,"

Himiko made to advance towards the shorter girl threateningly, but Hanami raised her hand complacently.

"Himi-chan, Chiyo-chan didn't mean it like that-"

"Yes I did," aforementioned girl interrupted bluntly. Hanami winced and turned a sweet smile back towards Himiko's tense form.

"She's had a really long day," Hanami settled on "It was her testing day,"

Himiko froze at that and turned tentatively towards Chiyo, who was currently trying to block out her other two companions.

Chiyo scowled as Himiko finally chose to leave her alone.

She didn't know why these two were so insistent on bothering her. She was nothing but rude to the both of them. In their circumstances, there was no time for _friends_ , as Hanami had called them.

Multiple children surrounded them, with a multitude of abilities. They all knew each other of course, Adachi was big on _unity_. But, within the testing group, they all had assimilated into smaller groups. Small groups that were being made even smaller by Adachi's constant experiments.

 _(They all know that they're replaceable. They all know that-)_

"Chiyo-chan, what do you think?" Hanami asked suddenly. Himiko looked at her begrudgingly.

Chiyo clenched her fist and looks at Hanami confusedly.

"What do I think about what?" Chiyo questioned quite rudely. Himiko bristled at that and Hanami smiled gently at Chiyo, before leaning forward conspiratorially.

"Heroes," Hanami whispered, careful to make sure no one else can hear them, "Himi-chan thinks they're stupid,"

Said girl nods her head proudly at that, while Chiyo just shakes her head.

"Well, well, the crybaby is right for once," Chiyo replied dryly, causing Himiko to bristle "I'm _shocked_ ,"

"Shut up you… you _vampire_!" Himiko settled on, looking quite proud. Hanami's eyes widened as she looked carefully at Chiyo. Almost as if expecting her to blow up at any minute.

Chiyo however… just looked towards Himiko blankly, before shaking her head.

"That was weak, even for you" she replied sadly, turning towards the taller girl for the first time "If anything I should be the one calling you that, ya _creep_. Aren't you the one fascinated with blood?"

Himiko just glared down at her, before cracking her knuckles threateningly.

"You're asking for it-"

 _Crack._

All of a sudden, the temperature in the room drops.

The trio raised their heads, in search of the cause. Chiyo blanched as Adachi entered the room, the same annoying smile carefully in place. As if _he_ wasn't the reason for their suffering.

She gripped her bicep subconsciously. The same place he had forced numerous needles into.

 _("Don't be mad Chiyo-chan. I'm doing this to help you. To help all of you-")_

Hanami rests a hand on her shoulder, and Chiyo glares at the pinkette almost immediately. For once, however, Hanami isn't swayed by it. Her grip tightens on Chiyo's shoulder.

Adachi's green eyes looked over all of them. Chiyo felt as if she couldn't breathe.

After what feels like a millennium, Adachi sighs and shakes his head.

"Another failure," he mutters, before choosing to raise his voice "Miwako-chan won't be able to play with you all anymore. It seems she wasn't strong enough-"

A boy breaks into tears at that.

Adachi froze and stared down at the boy inquisitively. He moved forward swiftly and grabbed the boys face in his hands.

"Did you care about her Ryuto-kun? Was she your friend?" the man questioned mockingly "Well… sorry for your loss, but there's something you should know. In fact, I want you all to listen to this right now!"

The room is silent as Adachi continues his tirade.

"I'm doing this all for your benefit! To help all of you ungrateful children! You dare to show me tears, after all I've done for you!" Adachi pushes Ryuuto away, with the utmost disgust "It sickens me. You obviously aren't as strong as I thought you were,"

Ryuuto's eyes widen before he presses his head to the ground and begs for Adachi's forgiveness. Multiple other children following suit.

Adachi's eyes gleam in satisfaction at the pain he had caused. His eyes roam over the room once more, before landing on another girl. He smiles chillingly, before choosing to leave the room once more.

A collective sigh is let out across the room.

The girl which Adachi had locked eyes with started to look considerably bothered, however.

Himiko stares at the girl, before bluntly saying:

"He's taking you next Nabi-chan,"

Nabi hunches in on herself, while Hanami gives Himiko a reprimanding look.

"Stop it Himiko!" Hanami says, moving to comfort the now sobbing girl "Why would you say that?"

"We all know it's true," the yellow-eyed eyed girl broke out "Why lie about it?"

Tears gushed out of Nabi's eyes at a faster rate, Hanami shushing her as much as she can.

Himiko scowls at that, but Chiyo can see a bit of guilt in her usually cheerful eyes.

Chiyo just sighs and shakes her head, garnering the attention of the other occupants in the room. She carefully gets up, ignoring the slight pain in her thigh where Adachi had made a few slight cuts and places a hand on Nabi's shoulder.

"Don't listen to her. Just because he looked at you doesn't mean _anything_. He only does it to scare us," She said firmly "He's an asshole,"

The children looked at her in awe at that comment. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for Chiyo to say bad things about Adachi, but it was still a bit of an oddity.

Hanami stared at her blankly for a moment, silver eyes clashing against Chiyo's apple red ones. A bright smile broke out on the pinkett's face, and with an embarrassed scowl, Chiyo ignored it.

The day ends like any other. With the children mourning for the life that had been lost and praying that _they're_ not next.

* * *

The next day, Hanami prods Chiyo and grins sheepishly when the aforementioned girl just glares at her.

"Say… Chiyo-chan? You never really answered my question,"

"What question would that be exactly?"

"Heroes… what do you think of them?" Hanami stated, suddenly looking very shy. Chiyo shook her head.

"Heroes don't exist," she stated bluntly causing Hanami to wince "All 'heroes' care about nowadays is popularity, not saving people. It's all a scam,"

Hanami looked down at her hands for a second, before shaking her head.

"That's… that's not true. Heroes can be really cool-"

"If heroes exist pinky, why are we still here?" Chiyo questioned abruptly " _Why?"_

Hanami remained silent and didn't answer for a few moments. Deeming the conversation to be over, Chiyo went to lie down in an isolated corner.

"I want to be a hero," Hanami whispered. Chiyo looked at her with wide eyes.

"You have a death wish? If someone tattles on you-"

"I want to become a hero and save people. I want to get rid of people like Adachi-"

Chiyo ran forward and covered Hanami's mouth. She quickly scanned the room and was relieved to see that no one had heard her foolish declaration. Instead, they were all too busy worrying about the upcoming lecture they were about to be given.

Someone had attempted to escape from the lab earlier.

Poor, innocent, Nabi hadn't been comforted by Chiyo's attempts to console her. The moment the day was deemed over, and they were sent to their separate rooms, she made a run for it.

Chiyo had a bit of respect for her.

However… it had been a completely stupid idea on the girl's part.

The lab was extremely well guarded, with security cameras at every turn. They had even had tracking devices inserted into their skin, just in case they wanted to run away.

They _all_ wanted to run away of course… but none of them had the balls to do it.

Running away meant certain death, and while staying in the lab meant certain death as well it at least gave them a bit more time.

Chiyo glared at Hanami as she slowly removed her hand.

"They'll kill you if they hear you talking like that-"

"You say bad things about Adachi-san all the time-"

"It's different! I don't talk about _killing_ him," Chiyo replied in a hushed voice "If you threaten him he'll just-"

"Would you care if I was dead Chiyo-chan?" Hanami questioned abruptly.

Chiyo froze, before turning her head to the side.

 _(Grey eyes that always seemed so hopelessly bright- a kind dimple forming smile-)_

"The crybaby would be even more insufferable if you weren't here to reel her in. That's all,"

Said crybaby shifted in Hanami's lap, where she was peacefully taking a nap. Hanami stared at Chiyo and smiled a secretive sort of smile.

"You'd miss me Chiyo-chan?"

"You deaf or something? I already told you-"

"Thank you," Hanami interrupted softly " _Thank you,"_

Chiyo just gazed at the pinkette, before scowling once more and turning to the side.

" _People are so weird,"_ she muttered as she shifted into a deep sleep "Wake me when it's time to go back to our rooms,"

Hanami didn't respond and instead reached over to ruffle Chiyo's hair.

The smaller girl protested at first, before eventually leaning into it.

She fell asleep to the sounds of Himiko's snores, and Hanami's warm presence.

* * *

Author's Note: I've started yet another story. I've been interested in _My Hero Academia_ for a pretty long time now, and I'm glad that I'm finally getting a chance to write for this fandom. The main OC, Chiyo, starts off her second life as a lab rat along with multiple other children(Himiko Toga being one of them, due to the fact we know almost nothing about her backstory and I love her character). She died very early in her first life, therefore she's a bit immature and crude at times. But, like all of my characters, I'll do my best to properly show character development when it comes to her. I hope you guys enjoy this story. Please leave a review, and tell me what you think so far.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What do you think Chiyo's quirk is? (I gave some hints as to what it is, but I never stated it outright)

What are some questions you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

Combat training. That was Adachi's bright idea to get them stronger, _more suitable_ for his experiments.

Chiyo thought that it wasn't possible for her to hate the man even more than she already did, but then he goes to pull something like _this_.

After working them to the bone with different workout regimens, Adachi had also decided that it would be productive for them to learn how to fight.

Purposely pitting them against each other, ruining whatever camaraderie they had created. It was positively _disgusting_.

Chiyo silently fumed over this as she watched Hanami get her ass handed to her by another test subject. The pink haired girl just got up happily, however, and shook her opponent's hand.

"That was amazing Emi-chan! You really got me," Hanami replied overly cheerfully, shaking Emi's hand. Emi just smiled tentatively, and with a tense look towards the guards tasked with overlooking their training, went back to her place in line.

One of the guards cleared their throats and picked up the paper that had all of their names written on it.

"Himiko Toga and Wakana Masamune, step forward," The guard ordered sternly. Wakana stepped forward with a fearful look in her eyes, but Toga… Toga looked _ruthless_.

"Begin!"

The yellow-eyed girl wasted no time in tackling Wakana to the ground and promptly beating her face to the pulp. Hanami looked away guiltily, and Chiyo winced slightly.

She wasn't scared of Toga, far from it in fact. But it was moments like these that truly made her worry for the other girl's sanity. She was just too… _unhinged_.

Eventually, Toga's fist started to draw blood, and the girl looked down at them in satisfaction. The guards didn't bother to step in, and let the beat down continue. Wakana started to sob slightly, and it was only then that Toga removed herself from on top of the girl. A minuscule amount of guilt in her eyes.

It disappeared in an instant however when one of the guards carried Wakana away. Her signature grin made its way back onto her face as she skipped to where Hanami and Chiyo were standing. The other children parted like the red sea to let her through, wariness very much present in their eyes.

"Did I do good Nami-chan? It was so pretty, wasn't it! Her face was _covered_ in blood," She stated cheerily, before leveling a look towards Chiyo "All I had to do was imagine that it was the vampire's face I was pummeling instead of Wakana-chan's!"

Chiyo just flipped her off, and patiently waited for her name to be called. Hanami gave Toga a reprimanding look.

"Himi-chan, you went too far," She stated vehemently "Wakana-chan was… you didn't have to drag it on that long,"

Toga just shrugged.

"It was fun," she replied nonchalantly, Chiyo froze at that.

 _(Fun? It's fun to beat someone to a pulp like that? Had the crybaby always been like this-)_

"Chiyo Koumori and Ryuga Kazai!"

Chiyo snapped to attention at that, and slowly made her way forward. Ryuga, who towered over her much tinier frame, just looked at her in annoyance. He cracked his knuckles threateningly.

"Begin!"

Ryuga charged towards her and aimed a punch towards Chiyo's left side. Chiyo rolled her eyes at that and flew upwards.

It had been more than a few months since she had last seen her mother. Since that time Chiyo's hair had grown down to her back, her wings had grown strong enough to fly, and even more, children had died due to Adachi's greed.

Even in a world where 80% of human beings had been granted superhuman abilities, _quirks_ , certain people would always want more. Nothing would ever be good enough to satisfy them. Either their ability wasn't strong or flashy enough. Or it could even boil down to a simple thing as them just being bored of their quirk. Some people hadn't even been graced with a quirk, and just wanted something to call their own.

Adachi was one of those people.

Taking children from their homes, torturing them, all so he could become stronger. So he could possibly take their quirk and transfer it to himself. So he wouldn't be seen as a second-class citizen anymore.

Adachi wasn't apart of the prized 80%. He was apart of the forgotten 20, he was _quirkless_.

The man had told Chiyo this before he shoved multiple needles into her body. Before he pumped drugs into her system.

 _(You want to know why I do this Chiyo-chan? Because I have to, because people like_ _ **me**_ _need to be helped and people like_ _ **you**_ _need to be knocked off your pedestal-)_

Chiyo kept on flying higher and higher.

The guards started shouting for her to come down, even going as far to throw things at her. Chiyo just kept flying.

 _(Was that a light she saw? Was she finally going to be free?)_

Something pricked her leg, and just like that, her wings stopped working. Her entire body shut down.

She feels herself falling and she's helpless to stop it.

 _(Darkness. The Darkness consumes her-)_

Her eyes shut.

* * *

Megumi loomed over her the moment she awoke. Hazel eyes staring at her mockingly.

"I wish I was there to see you fall to the ground like a ragdoll. It must've been so pathetic. Just like you of course," the brunette stated condescendingly. Chiyo just stared down at the bandages on her legs.

"Honey said that I had to heal you… but he didn't say I had to be quick. I might just let you suffer a bit,"

 _(Her legs felt like jello-)_

"Oi! You listening to me?"

 _(Why couldn't she just shut up? Her voice was grating-)_

"Chiyo- _chan_ ,"

 _(... She wanted to die-)_

"H-hey! What are you- stop that!"

Due to the properties of Chiyo's quirk, her fingernails were quite sharp. Chiyo was hesitant to even call them fingernails.

"Honey will be angry if you keep doing that- _will you listen to me_!"

Chiyo paid the woman in front of her no mind and continued to dig her claws into her bicep.

 _(I want to feel something, anything-)_

Megumi eventually grabbed her arms, restraining her from doing any more damage. Red eyes bore into hazel ones. Megumi couldn't help but repress a shiver.

For once… Megumi shut up, did her job, and left. Chiyo couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful.

Chiyo pulled her legs close to her and massaged the area she had tried to ruin. The new skin was already growing in.

She may have hated Megumi with a burning passion, but she was grateful that the woman had a healing quirk. With how rare they were, she probably had the only healing quirk in the lab.

Chiyo looked down at her grey skin and sighed. If only she had a quirk as useful as that.

 _Bat-form._ That's what they had classified her quirk as. She shared some of the physical characteristics of a bat and was therefore granted the abilities of a bat as well.

The nickname 'Vampire' actually suited her, Chiyo realized as she bared her sharp canine teeth.

Her quirk was useful she mused as her bat wings fluttered slightly. She had exceptional hearing and smell, and a naturally flexible body. She hadn't been given the complete freedom to test out the limits of her quirk, therefore she didn't know _everything_ this body would allow her to do.

But… when she was free… she fully intended to find out.

 _When she was free,_ the thought of it made her want to scoff. There were times when she doubted she would ever be free. She sometimes wished she was as naive as Hanami. She wished she could believe in heroes.

Even if a hero wouldn't come to spirit them away, she wished she had the courage to escape on her own. The courage to help other children escape.

The tracking device in her arm, however, reminded her that an escape wouldn't be happening anytime soon.

With the tip of her fingertip, she traced over the slight bump on her wrist where the tracking device had been inserted.

Just like that, all feelings of hope were erased. The cold hard reality that Chiyo had become accustomed to was settling once more.

 _She might never get out of here._

With that thought in place, Chiyo floated into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Why did you do it Chiyo-chan?" Hanami asked her quietly one day, as they waited for the guards to begin the training exercise.

Chiyo stared at her, red eyes carefully blank.

"Why did I do what?" She questioned as Hanami ran her fingers through her hair without permission. Chiyo glared at her for doing so, but the pinkette just smiled innocently.

"The other day," Hanami whispered "When you just kept on flying… you looked so _free_. I've never seen you so happy before,"

"I don't know why I did it," Chiyo replied back "It's… I saw a light,"

"A light?"

"Yeah… a light. It made me think I could… escape. That motivated me to keep going. It's stupid," Chiyo muttered as her cheeks turned red "I don't usually-"

"It's not stupid," Hanami declared firmly "You wanted to be free. We all do. We… one day we will be-"

"Stop it Hanami," Chiyo interrupted harshly "We… we can't delude ourselves into thinking that. You have to stop being so damn optimistic,"

Hanami froze at that, and for the first time ever glared at Chiyo. She grabbed Chiyo's cheeks in her hands and started to pull.

"What are you-"

"Don't _ever_ say that," Hanami hissed "I'll never stop being optimistic and you shouldn't either. We… we can't, we won't stay here forever. We will get out of here,"

Chiyo's eyes widened at that, as Hanami finally let go of her cheeks. With a stubborn tilt to her chin, Hanami turned away from Chiyo.

 _Huh,_ Chiyo thought as she rubbed her cheeks _Who would have thought that pinky had a backbone?_

Hanami proceeded to ignore Chiyo for the rest of the training exercise. Not even looking at her once. When Toga comes to join them, she looks between the two curiously. Instead of mocking Chiyo like she usually did, she remained eerily quiet.

When they were escorted back to the testing room, they were all surprised to find that there were a new group of children already in the room.

40 kids, Chiyo counted eventually. The same number her own group had started out with. They had now been reduced to less than half that amount.

Adachi gifted all of them with his usual smile.

"Everyone," He started off cheerfully, his glasses glinting in the light "These are your new friends. Please treat them kindly,"

A chorus of ' _Yes Adachi-san,'_ echoed throughout the room. Chiyo observed all the new test subjects.

One of the boys was crying. Big fat teardrops streaming down his face, as a taller girl attempted to comfort him. They had a similar bone structure Chiyo noted, as she went to sit down in her usual spot. Their eyes looked similar as well.

If Chiyo had to guess, they were at least cousins. The resemblance wasn't close enough for them to be siblings.

Adachi ignored the child and went on with his lecture.

"Sadly, there will be no testing today," Adachi stated downtrodding "We must spend the day giving our new members physical evaluations. You all may stay here for the time being,"

A collective sigh of relief was let out across the room. Adachi's eyes sharpened at that.

"Of course… we could still test today. I just wanted to give you bunch of ungrateful cretins a chance to relax-"

Everyone bowed their heads at that, muttering apologies as quickly as they could. Hanami pushed Chiyo's head down while muttering apologies of her own. Chiyo… Chiyo remained silent.

"Much better," Adachi hissed, snapping his fingers towards the guards "Come along now. We must escort the new children down to the lab,"

The guards nodded their heads wordlessly. Mindless puppets that can barely think for themselves, Chiyo mused as she shook Hanami's hand off her head.

The moment Adachi left with the new children, the room buzzed with excitement. They were all laughing with each other, playing with each other. It made Chiyo _sick_.

Didn't they realize what this meant? A new group of recruits meant that _their_ time here was limited. They were now nothing but spoiled goods in Adachi's eyes.

Chiyo closed her eyes and tried to envision the life she had before this. Not the one where she had cancer, she wasn't even sure if that counted as a life. No, the one where she had lived with Nadeshiko. Just Nadeshiko. She couldn't remember what her father looked like. She knew she had one, everyone had one. All she could remember was his presence.

She wondered where he was now-

A spare pebble hit the side of her cheek.

Chiyo turned her head to the side and was surprised to see Toga glaring down at her.

Toga grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up, ignoring Chiyo's protests.

"Just what do you think-"

"You're ignoring us and hurting Hanami-chan's feelings," Toga stated curtly "Come play with us,"

Chiyo was slightly speechless at that. Hanami was the one that went off on her. How was she in the wrong?

Chiyo pried her arm from Toga's grasp and glared at the taller girl.

"No thank you. If pinky wants to talk to me, she can come over here herself," Chiyo replied stubbornly, causing Toga to roll her eyes. Toga skipped across to the other side of the room leaving Chiyo by herself. Chiyo sighed and went to sit down back in her former place. She froze in her tracks, however, when Toga came back moments later carrying Hanami. Bridal-style.

Hanami covered her hands with her face. Even so, Chiyo could still see the reddening of her ears.

"Can we play now?" Toga replied impatiently "I'm bored just sitting here,"

Chiyo turned her head to the side stubbornly, annoyance rolled off of her in waves.

 _("Have you made any friends?" she remembered her mother asking her during their last visit "Anyone you talk to?")_

Why did things have to be so complicated? Why were people so complicated?

 _("I know these aren't ideal circumstances. But… if you make friends maybe it'll be easier-")_

Friends? They were all going to die anyway. What was the use of _friends_?

 _("You remember your aunt Nojiko right? Before she… passed, she was there for me at times nobody else was. Find people like that-")_

"I'm sorry!" Chiyo exclaimed eventually causing Hanami's eyes to widen. Toga just looked vaguely interested.

"I'm sorry that… that I've been so mean to the both of you. Friends… friends aren't supposed to do that,"

Hanami and Toga stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. Hanami's mouth kept opening and closing, but no words seemed to come out. Toga just stared at Chiyo.

"We're friends?'' Toga questioned suddenly. Chiyo blushed at that and lowered her head.

"Who else do I talk to her?" Chiyo whispered hurriedly "Yes… you guys are my only friends-"

Toga and Hanami crushed her in a hug, knocking Chiyo to the ground.

"Get _off_ of me-"

"No can do," Hanami responded cheerfully "This is what friends do. Get used to it Chiyo-chan!"

"That's right you vampire! You're gonna get a lot of these from now on," Toga stated happily "You said it yourself. We're your only friends-"

"I take it back!"

"Can't take it back Chiyo-chan," Hanami stated solemnly "Friendship is a very serious matter,"

Chiyo groaned at that and covered her face. Hanami and Toga were still on top of her, and it seemed that they didn't plan on moving anytime soon.

"I hate you guys," Chiyo muttered, her face heating up rapidly. Hanami and Toga just grinned down at her.

"Nah you don't," They chorused before breaking down in laughter. Chiyo rolled her eyes at that, but couldn't stop her lips from quirking up slightly.

Because she didn't hate them, she didn't think she ever could.

* * *

 _(She would miss times like these. Why had she always pushed them away? Why had she taken them for granted-)_

* * *

Chiyo looked on in morbid fascination, as Hanami plunged a knife into her bicep and took it out just as quickly. To any normal person, the sight would have been unsightly. But, Chiyo had become desensitized to knives. When something was plunged into you more often than not, you had to get used to it.

The wound bled for a few moments, before healing up just as quickly. Hanami grinned sheepishly as Toga and Chiyo clapped ceremoniously.

"That was amazing Nami-chan!" Toga exclaimed excitedly. Chiyo nodded her head in agreement, before turning a mischievous eye towards Toga.

"Of course… the crybaby _still_ won't tell us what _her_ quirk is-"

"None of your business!" Toga replied as she stuck her tongue out. Chiyo just rolled her eyes, before turning back towards Hanami.

"Your quirk _is_ pretty useful," Chiyo surmised, as she observed the place where Hanami had just cut herself "You can never get hurt,"

Hanami shook her head sadly at that.

"That's not true. I can still _feel_ pain, it just isn't as much as you or Himi-chan would feel. It also makes me really tired, and I can't heal others-"

"Even so," Chiyo cut in, not ready to let Hanami tear herself down "It's really cool. I wish I had something like that. This quirk makes me look so _weird_ ,"

Hanami shook her head immediately at that.

"No way! Your mutation quirk allows you to do a lot of things," Hanami replied excitedly "Your bat mutation allows you to be really flexible, it gives you good hearing. I bet you could even use echolocation! Plus you can _fly_ ," Hanami stated with stars in her eyes, as she took Chiyo's hands in her own "Your fingernails are really sharp and long too! I think you could use them for climbing if you-"

"Take a breather, Pinky," Chiyo interrupted jokingly "But… thank you. I never really thought about it like that,"

Hanami blushed slightly at that and smiled as she rubbed the back of her head. Toga just looked towards Hanami and shook her head.

"You're such a nerd Nami-chan," Toga stated plainly causing Hanami to turn red "You always get so excited about the weirdest things,"

Chiyo nodded at that, causing Hanami's shoulders to droop even more.

"You _are_ a nerd," Chiyo said firmly "But that's not a bad thing. I think it's pretty cool how smart you are,"

Hanami's jaw dropped at that as she mulled over the words that had just left Chiyo's mouth.

"You think _I'm_ cool?" Hanami questioned softly. Chiyo just smiled crookedly and nodded her head.

"Yeah. You're really strong too," Chiyo replied, taking note of the pleased smile that came over Hanami's face.

' _All that because I complimented her? What a weirdo,'_ Chiyo thought fondly. Hanami lowered her head, and lightly bumped Chiyo's shoulder.

"I don't think you look weird Chiyo-chan," Hanami whispered, "I think you're really cool too,"

Chiyo's eyes widened at that, as the guards entered the room to escort them to their separate holding cells. Hanami just smiled as she went to her place in line.

 _I think you're really cool too._

Nobody had ever said that to her before. She… she had never _thought_ of herself in that way.

She wasn't cool, she was just putting up a front. She was putting up a front because she didn't want anyone to see how broken she really was.

As she was placed into her room, Chiyo kept mulling over the words Hanami had said to her.

' _What does she mean by cool?'_ Chiyo grouched ' _I'm… I'm the opposite of that if anything!'_

 _Cool_ … the word made Chiyo want to laugh.

What Hanami didn't know was that Chiyo cried more often than not. That she was a complete wimp, that had gotten too good at putting up a facade.

She wasn't cool, she was a _coward_.

A coward that was terrified of the fate that awaited her.

The numbers of the original group Chiyo, Hanami, and Toga had started out with was dwindling even more. For whatever reason, Adachi had avoided picking them when it came down to the final experiments.

Now, Chiyo wasn't naive enough to believe that Adachi held a soft spot for any of them. She had thrown that idea out the window when Hanami had come limping into their shared room with multiple daggers stuck in her skin.

The pink haired girl just gave them a smile.

' _Adachi-san wanted to test my limits,'_ she had said as she coughed out blood ' _He wanted to see how far my regeneration would go. I'm not… I'm not allowed to take these out,'_

Chiyo clenched her fists as her mind recollected the memory.

It was true that Adachi hadn't been picking them for the final experiments, but he chose to mess with them in other ways.

With Hanami, he used physical torture, with Chiyo the torture was more psychological.

He had given her pictures, videos that she was forced to watch of her mother.

 _Her mother_ … Chiyo hadn't spoken to her in a while. She wasn't sure how long it had been, she had stopped counting the number of days she had been forced to reside in the lab after she had gotten to day 200. But she _knew_ her mother wasn't in a good state.

Nadeshiko had been kept in a constant state of isolation for months. Barely even being granted a decent amount of food.

The last video she had seen of Nadeshiko, was of her screaming at the camera. Begging to be let out.

The guards watching her had laughed at the sight, but all it did was remind Chiyo once again of how utterly helpless she was.

She wasn't exactly sure of what was being done to Toga. She hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary with the yellow-eyed girl, but when it came to Toga that wasn't saying much. She had always been a little different.

When Chiyo had first arrived at the lab, she couldn't help but notice how emotional Toga had been. The other girl used to never be caught without tears streaming down her face, hence the nickname 'crybaby'. To be fair, they had all cried in the beginning. But Toga had always cried the most.

Now, it was almost as if Toga was indifferent to all the horrible things happening in the lab. Chiyo used to hate the girl for her emotional disposition. She was slowly starting to realize, however, that she much preferred that version to the Toga they had now.

The Toga they had now just _didn't_ care. Even going as far as to laugh at all the children that had died, either due to the experiments or attempting to escape.

It was disturbing, to say the least, but Chiyo couldn't find it in herself to judge Toga.

They were all messed up if Chiyo really thought about it. They were all jaded.

Even Hanami had changed slightly.

The pink haired girl was still kind, of course, she didn't think the pink haired girl could ever be truly mean or cruel. But Chiyo had begun to notice Hanami's eyes growing darker and darker. With each death, each failed escape attempt, it was almost as if Hanami was losing hope.

Chiyo had used to make fun of the girl's optimism, but in truth, Hanami's optimism was one of the only things keeping her going.

Heroes… Chiyo still didn't believe in them. But whenever Hanami talked about them it made Chiyo _want_ to believe.

It made her want to believe that they would be saved.

 _(Heroes were supposed to be these amazing beings who couldn't be touched. They were supposed to_ _ **protect**_ _the public, protect people like_ _ **them**_ _-)_

It confused Chiyo. It baffled her how Hanami could believe in something that wasn't working for them. _Heroes_ weren't working for them.

It baffled and amazed her at the same time. It made her admire Hanami.

Hanami hadn't believed her when Chiyo had told her she was strong, but that may have been the truest thing to ever leave Chiyo's mouth.

Anyone capable of having hope after such terrible circumstances were nothing _but_ strong in Chiyo's opinion.

A loud bang interrupted Chiyo's thought process. It was almost as if something was clawing at her door.

She waited with bated breath as the clawing continued.

 _(Had someone broken into the lab? Had there been an accident-)_

Eventually… the clawing stopped. Chiyo's shoulders sagged as she brought her blankets closer to her small frame.

She didn't sleep that night. She found that she couldn't.

She spent the night staring at the metal door that had caged her. Hoping… praying that maybe someone other than Adachi would walk through it.

A good, kind person that would take care of her.

As she thought about it more and more, Chiyo couldn't help but laugh. She wished she could believe in heroes. She _wanted_ to believe in heroes. But… she found she just couldn't do it.

She stared at the metal door blankly and felt herself drown in the silence.

* * *

Hanami could barely keep her eyes open as the light bore down on her.

The doctor tasked with examining her ignored her discomfort, however, and just kept on extracting blood.

The doctor- _who thankfully wasn't Adachi Hanami mused_ \- was quirkless. Most of the doctors were quirkless at the lab. Either that or they were just unhappy with the quirk they were born with.

People would always be greedy for more, Chiyo-chan had once told her. That was just the way humanity was.

 _Chiyo-chan_ … Hanami thought the other girl was _amazing_.

She was really smart, calm, and nice too! Even if the other girl didn't realize it herself.

When they had first gotten to the lab, Hanami remembered that she couldn't stop crying.

Her parents had been separated from her, and the guards had been so _mean_. All she could do was cry.

It wasn't like she was the only one! They had all been crying. All of them except… all of them except Chiyo.

That annoyed Hanami at first. How could she just _sit_ there?

 _Did she think she was better than them?_ Hanami had thought hatefully glaring daggers at the girl _How dare she?!_

As tears stung her vision, Hanami covered her face in her hands.

She and her Mom were supposed to go out for ice cream that evening. This wasn't supposed to happen she had thought as a heavy feeling settled in her chest.

Someone had tapped on Hanami's shoulder, causing her head to snap up.

A hiccup escaped her as she realized it was the same girl she had been glaring at only moments ago. Hanami had attempted to glare at the girl once more, but this only caused more tears to come out.

The girl kept staring at her blankly, with those creepy eyes of hers.

 _(Chiyo's eyes weren't creepy' Hanami would come to realize 'They were actually really pretty, like gems-')_

The girl sighed and pulled something out from the jacket covering her. It was a fluffy toy rabbit.

Hanami stared at the toy in awe as it was forced into her hands. She remembered Chiyo just scratching her cheek as Hanami cried into the toy rabbit.

" _My mom got that for me. It helps me whenever I'm sad. It should help you too,"_ Chiyo had said " _We'll get out of here soon. Don't worry,"_

That incident had taken place 2 years ago. Hanami doubted Chiyo even remembered. But Hanami did, she'd always remember it.

Chiyo-chan would make fun of her for her… _optimism_ Chiyo called it, at times, but she was the one Hanami got it from.

She still had the toy rabbit. It was the one kindness Adachi had granted her.

 _Kindness_ … people always said that she was a kind girl. What they didn't know was that she could be incredibly selfish at times as well.

What they didn't know was that she was fine with other kids dying as long as they weren't people close to her.

As long as Chiyo-chan or Himi-chan didn't die, she'd be fine. She could keep on going.

As the doctor kept drawing more blood and making more cuts on her body, Hanami grinned.

She wouldn't let this beat her.

Himi-chan thought heroes were stupid, Chiyo-chan didn't believe in them at _all._

But Hanami did. She knew they would come eventually, they always did.

With that thought in place, Hanami waited peacefully for the doctor to finish their work.

 _(She would get out of here. They all would.)_

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 2! In case you're an old reader that's a bit confused by this, I've combined chapter 2 and 3 into one. The reason for this is because I've decided to change the way I plan to write this story. In the original draft, I wouldn't have gotten to canon until chapter 20 or 30 even. In this version, I'll get to canon much earlier, by changing the way I write some parts. Thank you to everyone that favorited, followed, and reviewed this story! I greatly appreciate it.

 **Edited 8/18/18**

Questions I have for you Guys:

What questions do you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning: I highly recommend listening to 'Everything Stays' from the show Adventure Time while reading.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

The lab had been breached.

Chiyo didn't know the specifics, all she knew was that one of the test subjects had taken it upon themselves to _murder_ a large amount of the doctors.

Chiyo personally hoped Adachi was among them.

She flew through the hallways aimlessly, as she searched for Hanami and Toga. Multiple test subjects were running through the hallways in chaos. Most likely seeing if there was any possible way to escape.

Chiyo observed them as they ran around in a disorganized state. No matter how much she searched, she couldn't find Hanami or Toga.

Chiyo pulled at her hair in frustration. Hanami had _bright pink hair_ , she should've been the easiest to spot.

Her breath caught as she saw some of the guards lying helplessly on the floor. One of the test subjects-' _Kino' Chiyo remembered_ \- had created metal bonds to hold them. All of the children cheered as the guards were promptly knocked out by some of the older test subjects.

' _Oh,'_ Chiyo thought as she flew overhead ' _This is… a revolt isn't it?'_

It couldn't be called anything else Chiyo realized as she watched the events unfold. They… they could possibly be free. They could possibly escape.

Her thoughts strayed to her mother for a moment, before she pushed those thoughts away.

She had no idea where Nadeshiko was currently being held. She had no idea if Nadeshiko was even _alive_.

All she could do now was search for Hanami and Toga.

She flew as fast as her wings would take her. She watched with a grim sort of satisfaction as her fellow test subjects trashed the lab. As they broke the glass, scratched against the metal doors, as they _rioted_.

A large part of Chiyo found herself wanting to join in. To aid in destroying the place that had caged her for so long.

 _You can't_ a voice whispered _You have to find them._

Chiyo shut her eyes and sharpened her senses.

She had always had excellent hearing. Sometimes even being able to hear a conversation that could be taking place meters away from her, or even in a separate room. She tried to ignore it more often than not, however. Hearing too many sounds at once caused her mind to become clouded, her vision to become blurry.

Just this once, however, she ignored the pain. She strained her ears in hopes of hearing something, anything that would lead her to her friends.

" _Help me! Someone_ _ **help**_ _me!"_

That voice… it wasn't Hanami or Toga. But Chiyo flew closer to it anyway.

She saw a boy laying on the ground, with multiple glass shards in his skin. He had to be a few years older than her, Chiyo realized as she came closer to him. Even so… Chiyo found herself kneeling down next to him. Ignoring the chaos that went down behind them.

The boy was screaming hysterically, and Chiyo placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Puffy eyes stared at her suspiciously.

"Are you alright?" Chiyo questioned, staring at him blankly. The boy froze for a few moments, before shaking his head.

"I… my little sister," he sobbed "I can't find her. They just took her,"

 _She's probably dead at this point_ Chiyo realized grimly. She didn't voice her thoughts aloud, however, and helped to remove the glass shards from the boy's feet.

"How… how long have you been here?" The boy questioned while sniffling. Chiyo felt a heavy weight settle on her chest at those words and just shook her head.

"Too long. What about you?" Chiyo questioned as she ripped a piece of cloth from the hospital gown she was wearing, and used it to clean the blood on the boy's feet.

"I-I've been here for about a month I think. A little over," He whispered "They… they killed my parents,"

 _Lucky_ Chiyo thought venomously as she wrapped his feet with some leftover cloth _At least your parents didn't suffer-_

Chiyo immediately slapped her cheeks at that, causing the boy to look at her curiously.

"W-what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Chiyo stated firmly "Can you walk?"

The boy nodded meekly, and that was all Chiyo needed to continue her previous pursuit.

Everything was so loud. Adachi didn't like noise, he would never have let this happen.

Which meant… could Adachi have been one of the casualties?

The thought of Adachi laying dead somewhere made Chiyo grin darkly.

She wondered if he had _suffered_ -

A loud scream stopped Chiyo from going further.

Everyone started running in one direction as the screams kept getting louder and louder. Smoke came into Chiyo's line of vision.

Someone had set the lab on fire.

Chiyo's heart rate sped up as she desperately tried to search for an opening.

She flew in the same direction as everyone else, scouting the area for pink hair.

' _Come on Pinky!'_ Chiyo thought as everyone screamed around her ' _Why would you choose now of all times to be hidden?'_

Children screamed and cried around her as they searched for any possible way to get out. Smoke was quickly filling up the lab, and Chiyo found that it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

She gritted her teeth, however, and just covered her nose swiftly.

Her lungs hurt, and she couldn't _think_. Hanami and Toga were here, _somewhere_ , and she couldn't even think about finding an exit until she found _them_.

Chiyo's vision blurred, as a sound caught her off guard.

Someone was crying, Chiyo realized as she looked back towards the flames. Someone was… dying.

Chiyo kept on looking towards the flames, wondering what to do.

The voice sounded familiar she thought, as she flew closer to it. The voice was soft and had a warm quality to it even in a moment of distress.

She refused to believe it.

 _(The voice was getting louder she realized as she flew closer and closer to the flames-)_

It wasn't true.

 _(She knew this voice-)_

Hanami sat in the middle of the flame-covered room, multiple burn marks covering her arms. Multiple daggers stuck into her body.

A sob escaped Chiyo's mouth as she moved closer to the pink-haired girl. Ignoring the flames around her.

Hanami glanced up at her, and smiled, even though it brought her pain to do so.

"Are you crying Chiyo-chan?" Hanami rasped, blood dripping out of her mouth "All the time I've known you, I've never seen you cry,'

"Stop talking," Chiyo ordered firmly "I'm gonna carry you out of here, then we're gonna go find Toga-"

"Chiyo-chan," Hanami interrupted "Himi-chan's _gone_ ,"

Chiyo felt as if her entire world _was_ _ **burning**_ _-_

"What do you mean _gone_?!" She questioned hysterically "Is she dead-"

"She's not dead," Hanami whispered "Adachi took her,"

Chiyo felt her heart start to beat even faster as she mulled over the words that had just left the other girl's mouth.

"If Adachi took her… then she's as good as dead," Chiyo realized as even more tears started to stream down her face "Hanami… I'm going to move you okay? We're going to get out of here. I can't lose you too-"

"Chiyo-chan," Hanami started off "I love you. You and Himi-chan are some of the greatest things to ever happen to me. I'll treasure our time together-"

"Shut up!" Chiyo hissed "I'll pull these daggers out of you and you can just regenerate,"

Hanami shook her head slowly, causing her wounds to bleed out even more.

"It doesn't work like that Chiyo-chan. I need energy to regenerate. I lost all my energy fighting the doctors earlier,"

"That was you?" Chiyo asked incredulously "I didn't know you had it in you,"

"I… I didn't want to kill them," Hanami admitted tearfully "But… they said that Adachi was unhappy with the progress they were making. They said that-"

Hanami coughed out a goblet of blood. Chiyo nursed her head slightly.

"Stop talking. Let me carry you out-"

"Monsters, Chiyo-chan," Hanami stated forcefully "They're… they're making monsters out of us,"

"Hanami… those doctors would _enjoy_ killing _us_. Just because you killed them doesn't make you a monster-"

"I'm not talking about me. That thing I saw… it wasn't human. Adachi's turning us into monsters with his experiments," Hanami stated, her face a mixture of blood and tears "You remember Ryuuga?"

Chiyo nodded her head slowly.

"He's one of them," Hanami hissed "The monster had the same hair as him. I… saw some of his notes. That's when I attacked the doctors,"

Chiyo felt her stomach roll at that.

"You always got your ass kicked in combat training-"

"I only did that so Adachi wouldn't pick me," Hanami said grinning, as Chiyo's eyes widened "Don't look at me like that. You did the same thing, always flying out of the ring before they could see your true potential,"

"Still," Chiyo stated shaking her head "I guess I always underestimated you,"

Hanami smiled at that before her eyes turned dark.

"Adachi… I can't believe he's doing this," Hanami rasped "He's really a monster,"

"He… he told me that he wanted to transfer quirks to himself-"

"He _lied_ Chiyo-chan. Maybe that's what he was doing before, but he wanted _more_. He's… Adachi's been creating monsters this whole time. He's even tried _combining_ us," Hanami said as she put her hands over her stab wounds "After he… did this to me, he took all of his research and he set the lab on fire himself,"

"But… why'd he take Toga?"

Hanami sighed, and her grey eyes seemed to dim even more.

"Himi-chan's his daughter," Hanami stated brokenly. Chiyo felt her eyes widen at that, she thought of possible similarities between Toga and that… that monster.

She let out a shuddering breath as she finally realized it. It was their eyes.

Even though they were different colors, Adachi and Toga had the same exact eye shape. They also had similar facial expressions.

It… it explained so much.

Why only the three of them were being spared for the final experiment. Adachi couldn't have been heartless enough to turn his own flesh and blood into… _that_.

As for Hanami and Chiyo… the only guess Chiyo could come up with was that Toga had asked for them to be spared. It was the only thing that could explain why only them, the people closest to Toga weren't killed.

"He tortured his own daughter?" Chiyo asked after a moment "We… how long ago did they leave?"

"I'm not sure," Hanami admitted "I… can't really remember anything that well after he set the place on fire,"

"... Alright, I've taken the daggers out," Chiyo stated proudly "I can try and carry you now-"

"Sing for me Chiyo-chan,' Hanami whispered. Chiyo stared down at her in confusion.

"I'll sing for you when we get out of here-"

"Please," Hanami begged, as she raised her hand and touched Chiyo's cheek. Chiyo grasped the girl's hand in her own "One song. I've heard you singing to yourself before, and I love your voice,"

Chiyo felt her resolve break at that, as she looked down on Hanami's weakened state.

"One song," Chiyo resolved, as she put Hanami's arm around her shoulders. She flapped her wings and flew as carefully as she could, taking note of Hanami's injuries.

Hanami just closed her eyes and hummed.

Chiyo felt her chest constrict at that.

"Alright, Pinky!" Chiyo said semi-cheerfully "Here it goes!"

Chiyo cleared her throat and racked her brain for any song that could grant Hanami comfort at the moment.

She took a deep breath.

 _Let's go in the garden  
You'll find something waiting  
Right there where you left it  
Lying upside down_

Hanami hummed along with her, and Chiyo felt herself become a bit more empowered. She continued to sing on.

 _When you finally find it_  
 _You'll see how it's faded_  
 _The underside is lighter_  
 _When you turn it around_

Hanami's breathing became slower, but Chiyo just kept on singing as she cradled the taller girl in her arms.

 _Everything stays_  
 _Right where you left it_  
 _Everything stays_  
 _But it still changes_

She felt Hanami's body go still. Her voice broke.

 _Ever so slightly_  
 _Daily and nightly_  
 _In little ways_  
 _When everything stays_

Chiyo cleared her throat and smiled as widely as she could.

"How was that Pinky?'

She received no answer.

Chiyo felt her heart start to beat louder and louder. Her body was _shaking_.

She went to lay Hanami down on the ground and placed her fingers over the other girl's eyelids. Closing them for the last time.

The flames blazed around her, and she found that she couldn't think.

She heard other people's cries. The flames had spread all throughout the lab. _Other_ people were dying.

Chiyo _screamed_.

The sound that escaped her was _deafening_. It felt as if she had been awakened.

She looked down towards Hanami's body and smiled.

"I know how to get out of here Pinky," Chiyo whispered "You were right. You were always right,"

She could hear the vibrations of her scream bounce off the walls. She flew over Hanami's body for a moment, before turning away.

She followed the vibrations, taking note of the corpses surrounding her. The surviving children screamed in pure agony at what they were being forced to see.

The boy she had helped before looked around him in confusion. Blood was dripping down his head as his eyes finally met hers. Chiyo just raised her hand and beckoned him to follow her.

Chiyo flew through the halls, making slight screeches whenever she could. The vibrations kept bouncing off the walls and leading her into places she didn't even know existed.

Eventually… she came across a wooden door on the ceiling.

She heard multiple footsteps trailing after her. Surviving test subjects she realized as she pushed against the wooden door.

With a frustrated grunt, she realized she wasn't strong enough to push the door out. She sighed and looked towards her companions.

"Do any of you guys think you can break this door?" Chiyo questioned, her voice still thick with emotion.

One of the older boys stepped forward and nodded his head. The flames blazed on behind them, and one of the girls broke into tears at that.

"I might need some help though," The boy admitted as he took a deep breath and stretched his arms out "Do you think you can lift me up?"

Chiyo nodded at that and heaved the boy up by his shoulders.

Her body strained, but she pushed through as the boy's hands grew bigger.

"With my quirk," the boy started off "I can make any part of my body bigger by a large amount-"

"I don't care," Chiyo cut in "Just get us out of here,"

The boy chuckled at that.

"For such a small girl, you're pretty rude aren't you?" he rasped as he strained against the wooden door. Chiyo just rolled her eyes at that.

The boy strained against the door for what seemed like an eternity to Chiyo. The flames kept getting closer and closer-

 _Crack._

The wooden door broke, and fresh air filled Chiyo's senses.

 _(She was finally free… but at what cost-)_

The children behind her sobbed openly. They all begged for Chiyo to come down and take them out of there.

The boy that Chiyo had helped was crying the loudest. He smiled at Chiyo as he desperately rubbed at his eyes.

His smile… it reminded her of Hanami's smile-

 _(Stop. Don't think about her. She's dead, and Toga's worse than dead-)_

Chiyo forced a smile on her face.

 _(Hanami had always comforted her with her smiles. She would provide the same comfort to these children-)_

As she carefully brought all the children out into the outside world, a thought struck Chiyo almost immediately.

 _Hanami was wrong about one thing_ , she realized as she brought the last child out _Heroes truly don't exist_.

Tears stung her vision as she realized that no matter how much she had ridiculed Hanami for the notion, she _wanted_ it to be true. She had wanted a hero to come down and save them.

As she watched the flames burn up the remainder of the lab, she let out a sardonic laugh.

 _Where were the heroes?_ Heroes were supposed to protect them, yet she had ended up having to protect _herself_.

One of the girls latched onto her, thanking her continuously.

Chiyo just smiled, as she saw Hanami do multiple times before, and nodded her head.

"No problem,"

 _(Heroes… what a_ _**joke**_ _-)_

* * *

 _(It was true wasn't it? Hanami had loved heroes, believed in them more than anything in this world. Yet they didn't even come to save her-)_

* * *

There were 7 of them. 7 survivors out of possibly hundreds of children.

At first, one of the boys wouldn't stop crying.

Chiyo tried not to get angry with him. She knew they were all emotional, she knew they had all been through hell. She herself had done her fair share of crying.

It was the same boy she had saved, she realized with a start.

He wasn't loud about his crying, he just walked alongside them with tears streaming down his face quietly.

They all linked arms as they walked through what seemed to be a forest.

 _(She wasn't even sure anymore. It had been so long since she had seen anything like this-)_

One of the older boys- _they were all older than her she realized with a start_ \- stopped suddenly.

"Where are we even going?" He questioned roughly, scratching his ears. Chiyo realized that he also had a mutation quirk as his tail curled slightly.

One of the girls rolled her eyes at him.

"Look Masaru," she stated severely "We can't stop now-"

"I get that," the boy said, his teeth gritting together "But, where the hell are we going? We have no plan whatsoever-"

"Are you going to keep complaining?" Chiyo questioned softly "Or are you going to work with us to create a plan?"

The six other children looked at her curiously. Ever since they had escaped, Chiyo hadn't gone out of her way to start a conversation with either of them. Understandably… they were all a bit shocked.

"Chiyo-chan right?" The girl questioned "I'm Masago. Don't listen to that idiot-"

"Who are you callin' an idiot?"

" _You_ dumbass!" Masago snapped, before turning towards Chiyo calmly "I… thank you. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have been able to get out of there,"

Chiyo squirmed at the praise and shook her head.

"Don't thank me until we get out of this damn forest," Chiyo replied causing Masago's eyes to widen "I… I think some introductions are in order. I know nothing about you guys, and we're probably gonna be stuck together or a while,"

Everyone seemed to nod their head at that. With their hands still linked, they made a circle and sat down, letting out breaths of relief as they did so.

The boy with the tail-Masaru- cleared his throat.

"The name's Masaru," he stated as he looked at the rest of them expectantly. Chiyo snorted at that, causing the older boy to glare at her.

"You wanna go? I don't care how small and cute you are-" he stated threateningly, inching towards Chiyo. The red-eyed girl just stared at him blankly.

"I don't mean to be rude… but could you tell us a little more? Like… how long have you been in the lab? How… old are you?" Chiyo tried to piece together. She wasn't used to talking in front of people. The only people she had really talked to for so long were Hanami and Toga-

 _(Stop that. They're gone. You won't see them again-)_

A hand pressed to her shoulder, causing her to jump. Brown eyes stared down at her worriedly.

"My name's Kino," the girl replied "I'm 10 years old, and I came to the lab two months ago. In fact," Kino looked towards the others "I think we all came around the same time,"

Nods of agreement went around the circle, and Chiyo felt incredibly sick.

 _(Months? She had been forced to reside there for_ _ **years**_ _-)_

"Also… I'm able to create metal," Kino stated as a metal orb came out of her skin. They all nodded, and Masaru sighed.

"Fine, fine," he stated "My name's Masaru, I'm 12 years old, and like _she_ said, I came to the lab a few months ago,"

They all continued to stare at him.

"What?" he gritted out.

"What's your quirk?" the boy from before asked, looking especially sleepy. Masaru blushed slightly at that.

"I… I have a monkey mutation," he replied, his tail curling once more "It's pretty useful actually,"

"Your ears _are_ pretty big," The boy that she had lifted beforehand, replied cheekily "I can't say I'm surprised-"

"I _will_ kick your ass-"

"My name's Saburo," the boy interrupted, causing Masaru to fume even more "I'm 11 years old, and I'm able to make any of my body parts bigger, as you already know. I came to the lab about 2 months ago too,"

The girl next to him cleared her throat and grinned at them.

"Akane was the name my grandmama gave me," She stated wistfully "I'm 10 years old, and my special power is the fact that my blood is acidic,"

The boy that she had helped previously, wiped his eyes and yawned.

"My name's Yasuo," He stated serenely "I'm 13 years old, and my quirk… I have the ability to calm others down from a state of distress,"

Masago looked around and realized that she still hadn't gone.

"My name's Masago. I'm 11 years old, and I have the ability to create plants," she stated matter of factly, before turning towards Chiyo "Your turn Chiyo-chan. We all know each other pretty well, but we don't know much about you,"

Chiyo felt her body lock, as all eyes zeroed in on her. Masaru and Saburo leaned forward.

"Yeah! How old are you?" Saburo questioned eagerly.

Chiyo didn't respond at first, choosing to examine her fingernails instead. Masaru frowned at that.

"Oi! Earth to shrimp-"

"My name's Chiyo," She bit out "I have a bat mutation, and-" Chiyo felt her heart begin to pump faster and faster "I'm … I'm not sure of my exact age-" Akane looked surprised at that "I know I'm older than 5, and… I don't know how long I've been in the lab. I stopped counting after day 300,"

The mood changed very quickly after that.

"I'm… so sorry Chiyo-chan-"

"Please," Chiyo whispered "I don't want your pity,"

Kino placed a hand on top of Chiyo's head, and Chiyo fought against it at first.

But… eventually, she leaned into it. Kino's hand was cool and comforting.

Chiyo wiped her eyes and looked towards everyone in the group.

"We… now that we all know each other, we can properly move forward," Chiyo replied, her eyes set "Do… do… do any of you know of any relatives that live close by?"

The group just stared at her.

"Chiyo-chan," Kino eventually stated "We don't know where we are. We have to figure that out first,"

They all nodded at that until Akane raised her head suddenly.

"My grandma has a house!"

"Nice to know," Masaru stated sardonically. Akane just glared at him.

"I didn't mean it like that!' Akane spat "My Grandma… I was on my way to visit her when I… maybe she's close by?" Akane stated finally. Chiyo flapped her wings.

"I… I can try and fly upwards to see if I can find an opening?'' Chiyo proposed. They all faltered at that.

"You've done enough," Yasuo stated firmly "Let us do the rest,"

Masaru sighed at that, and with a speed that Chiyo didn't know he possessed, the boy climbed the trees effortlessly.

They all waited patiently for the hot-tempered boy to come back down. Kino stroked Chiyo's hair as they waited.

 _(Stop… Only_ _ **Hanami**_ _can do that-)_

Masaru landed back on the ground with a thump. A bright grin lighting up his face.

"I spotted land!' He cackled pointing to the right "It was some kind of city!"

"How long do you think it will take us to get there?" Chiyo questioned. Masaru's smile dropped at that.

"Ummm… a few days possibly," Masaru admitted, scratching the back of his head. The group all sighed at that, but Chiyo just nodded her head.

"We've waited this long for freedom," she said bitterly "We can wait a few more days,"

And so… they linked arms once more and continued forwards.

They were a weird group Chiyo realized. They all had on hospital gowns, and multiple scars littering their body.

She… she had the most, however.

She looked down, and saw the bump that was on her wrist, she froze immediately. The rest of them looked towards her in alarm.

"Chiyo, what's wrong-"

"The tracking devices," Chiyo let out with a gasp "We need to get them out. Adachi could track us if we don't-"

Masago fell to her knees at that. Masaru let out a strangled sort of noise, and Yasuo… his eyes had a broken look inside them.

"I forgot," Saburo admitted shamefully "But… how can we get them out?"

Chiyo wracked her brain for any sort of answer. Until… she saw it.

She looked down at her hands and observed her fingernails.

With a deep breath, she dug her fingernail into her wrist. Akane made a retching noise, as Chiyo retrieved the tracking device, and pounded it into the ground with her foot. Ignoring the stinging pain, Chiyo looked towards her companions.

"Who's next?"

* * *

It… it hadn't been pretty getting the tracking devices out. Chiyo didn't like causing others pain. But it was something that had to be done.

The only problem she had truly had, was with Akane.

The girl didn't complain, but her blood… it really _was_ acidic Chiyo thought as she held her fingers close to her. It _burned_.

Akane looked at her guiltily, but Chiyo just smiled at her and told her not to worry.

 _(Hanami would've done the same thing. Hanami always reassured the people around her-)_

When she finished, she looked down shamefully.

"I'm so sorry," Chiyo whispered. The others just stared at her, until Masaru finally moved forward. He delivered a karate chop to Chiyo's head.

"What the hell do you have to be sorry for?" he questioned "You weren't the one that put these things in us,"

The rest of them nodded in agreement, as they linked arms again. Akane smiled at her.

"You keep saving us Chi-chan!" she said excitedly "I forgot about the devices y'know? They just… become apart of ya,"

They all nodded solemnly at that, as Chiyo lowered her head.

"Masaru," Chiyo started off "How much farther do you think we have to go?"

Masaru let out a sigh of frustration, as he went climbing the trees once more. When he came down, he had a defeated look on his face.

"We're getting closer," Masaru admitted "But… not close enough. We might need to make camp and get some sleep for the night,"

They all sat down with a thump at that. Chiyo's stomach rumbled, and her face heated up as Subaru laughed at her. She looked to Masago.

"Masago… you said you can create plants?"

The girl nodded slowly.

"Could you perhaps… create fruits?" Chiyo questioned "I mean… fruits come from plants, and-"

"Say no more Chiyo-chan!" Masago replied, her eyes lighting up "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Cause your stupid-"

Masaru was barely able to finish his sentence as Masago threw a pile of dirt at him. The brown haired boy glared but otherwise said nothing else.

Masago got to work, and created fruits Chiyo hadn't tasted in _years_.

Strawberries, blueberries… Chiyo's mouth watered.

The red-eyed girl looked towards Kino next.

"Kino… could you make a metal tent?" Chiyo started off "Nothing too extravagant… just something to cover us for the night?"

Kino looked a bit unsure and twiddled with her thumbs.

"I… I can try. But it might not be good," Kino warned "I don't usually make things like that,"

"Please try your best," Chiyo replied, before looking towards Saburo, Yasuo, Masaru, and Akane. They all looked towards her expectantly.

"... I don't really have anything for you guys to do," Chiyo admitted bluntly "Your quirks… are nice and all… but they're useless now,"

The four dropped their heads at that.

"You really don't hold back, do you Chiyo?" Saburo boomed. Chiyo just shrugged her shoulders and placed a strawberry in her mouth.

 _(The food in the lab couldn't have even been called food. It was all processed and filled with drugs-)_

Chiyo devoured the berries and looked expectantly towards Masago. The girl in question just laughed nervously.

"Got it. More strawberries coming right up Chiyo-chan!"

* * *

They slept in a huddle that night. Clinging to any possible warmth they could find.

Yasuo's quirk did end up coming in handy after all. Chiyo found that she couldn't sleep, none of them could sleep.

As strong as they all tried to act, they were all still plagued by the events of the lab.

 _(Toga-missing. Hanami-dead. Everything was_ _ **ruined**_ _-)_

Someone placed a hand on top of her head, and she immediately felt herself begin to calm down.

Yasuo smiled down at her serenely. His blue eyes shining in the darkness.

"Sleep Chiyo-chan," he said softly "Don't worry yourself,"

Chiyo glanced up towards him for a moment and shook her head. She leaned into the huddle even more, and finally let sleep claim her.

Her dreams started off calmly peacefully. She dreamed she was still with Toga and hanami.

But then, Hanami and Toga vanished. They were replaced with Adachi grinning down at her menacingly.

 _I take everything from you_ he whispered _Your mother, your friends-_

It was then Chiyo had woken with a start.

She looked around her and was surprised to see she wasn't the only one.

Saburo gave her a crooked grin.

"So the sleeping beauty has finally awoken," he stated "Took you long enough,"

Chiyo brought her knees to her chest.

Akane growled, and Masaru just gave her a look.

"The fuck was that-"

" _I'm so tired of this already!_ " Akane yelled "I can't sleep. I can't eat. That bastard… I _hate_ him!"

"You're not the only one," Masaru said heatedly "I was riding my bike from school when they got me,"

Chiyo listened on as they all told stories of how Adachi had ruined _their_ lives. It angered her somewhat.

They had been with Adachi for a few months, she had been with him for _years_. If anyone should be complaining it was her-

"You guys are being insensitive," Kino eventually said "Chiyo-chan's suffering more than all of you,"

They all quieted down at that and looked downwards shamefully.

Chiyo had never felt more grateful for Kino than she had at that moment. Masago looked towards her sympathetically.

"Chiyo-chan… how did he get you?" She questioned hesitantly. They all looked towards her curiously at that.

Chiyo just stared down at the ground.

 _(They were all gone-)_

"Chiyo-chan?"

 _(Her mother was probably dead too she realized. There was no way for her to escape, especially in a wheelchair-)_

Kino tapped her shoulder lightly.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," she eventually said "It's your choice,"

Chiyo nodded her head slightly at that. She forced a smile on her face.

"Ht's alri-"

Masaru scoffed, causing her blood to run cold. The others looked at him in anger.

"Masaru," Masago started off calmly "Now is _not_ the time to be an asshole-"

"Who's being an asshole?" Masaru questioned "I just think Chiyo- _chan_ should be a bit more honest with us," he stared straight through her "It's time to wipe that fake ass smile off your face. It's not you,"

Something in her just snapped at those words.

"What would you know about who I am?" Chiyo hissed venomously "Unlike you I don't want to burden other people with my issues-"

"See?" Masaru stated victoriously "What kind of kid talks like that?"

"I-"

"You're not okay," Masaru insisted "You're hurting. We all are. Stop trying to act all high and mighty by holding it in,"

Chiyo froze for a moment, as she thought about his words.

 _(Hanami always had a smile on her face, even in death-)_

She wasn't Hanami.

Just like that… the dam broke. Masaru looked away as Chiyo let out her tears.

"I… he got me at my house," Chiyo let out with a sob "He attacked my mother, and he… he tortured her. He took her with us to the lab," Chiyo replied with shuddering breaths "I left my mother-"

"Chiyo -chan," Yasuo interrupted "It's not your fault,"

Chiyo looked at him in confusion. He smiled back softly at her.

"I… I saw my sister's body," Yasuo admitted, causing the others to look to him in pity "If you guys were wondering why I was crying so much before… now you know,"

Chiyo nodded at that, as she let everything loose.

She didn't tell them everything. She _couldn't_ tell them everything. But… at that moment she felt herself bond with her six other companions. In life or death situations like these, you couldn't help but create bonds.

When she was finished, she looked towards Masaru.

"Thank you," She replied brokenly " _Thank you,"_

Masaru just scratched the back of his head, his tail curling.

"Whatever," he replied as he turned away.

"Aww, Masaru has a soft spot," Saburo mocked "How cute-"

"Shut it!" Masaru replied "Since you all have _so_ much energy, we should get a move on. The sooner I'm rid of you guys the better,"

They all sighed at that and made to follow after the boy. Chiyo smiled at his back.

For all of his rough edges… Chiyo found that she liked Masaru. She liked all the people she was stuck with.

It was different now, Chiyo realized. Now that they were going towards their freedom and not their death, Chiyo found herself genuinely wanting to get to know her companions.

It was such a weird sensation, Chiyo thought as she gripped her stomach. It was warm… and floaty.

 _(Is this happiness?)_

Chiyo looked towards her companions, and her eyes widened when they stopped and looked back towards her.

 _(They were actually waiting for her-)_

"Hurry up shrimp! We ain't got all day," Masaru yelled. Saburo just shook his head and smiled at Chiyo.

"Is everything alright Chiyo?" he stated reaching his hand out towards her. Chiyo looked at it for a few moments, before taking it full heartedly.

She didn't smile… after everything that happened, it didn't feel _right_ to smile.

 _(Hanami-dead. Toga-missing.)_

But… she'd like to think that the 2 of them wouldn't want t see her like this. So pathetic, and whiney.

So she had to be strong. For her mother… and for them.

* * *

It took them 6 days and 5 nights. But… they _eventually_ made it to the city.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 3! In this chapter, I combined the original chapter 4 and 5. I'd like to thank all the people that favorited, reviewed, and followed this story.

 **Edited 8/18/18**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

The moment they made it to the city, Masago and Akane sobbed openly.

Masaru rolled his eyes at them, but Chiyo could see a few tears squeezed out of his eyes as well.

They were truly _free_.

They ran forward, finally letting go of each other's hands. Chiyo felt her wings begin to flap, and soared above-

Something was holding her back.

She looked behind her and saw Kino giving her an unimpressed look.

"Everyone!" Kino _roared_ over the hustle and bustle of the city "We need to get to a police station,"

Yasuo gave her an approving look.

"Maybe we could ask one of the citizens?" He stated. Masaru shook his head at that.

"No way," he hissed "Do you see the way they're looking at us? We'll just keep walking-"

"No," Chiyo intoned "We can't just keep walking in the middle of the city. We have to ask someone,"

"What if they end up being like Adachi?" Masaru gritted out, seeing he was outnumbered. Chiyo met his gaze head-on.

'I don't think we're likely to meet anyone as cruel as Adachi anytime soon," Chiyo relayed softly "Besides… it's seven against one if that's the case. I.. I think… we could take them,"

They all nodded approvingly, and Masaru sighed.

"Fine, whatever," he replied with the wave of a hand "Let's go ask one of these _citizens_ ,"

Chiyo nodded her head and froze at the sight in front of her. Finally taking in what was happening.

 _(They were all moving so fast-the lights were so bright- it reminded her of the_ _ **lab**_ _-)_

"Hey! Chiyo- _chan_ -"

Her vision was soon enshrouded in darkness.

* * *

They all looked on in confusion, as the youngest member of their group just… _fainted_.

Masago immediately went to catch her and looked towards the others.

"She's been in that lab for… years possibly," Masago whispered "She can't be older than 6. She's so _tiny_ ,"

"She's smart though," Akane replied back " _Super_ smart. I don't know how she found the exit… but-"

"This is touching and all," Masaru cut in "But we _need_ to get to the police station. We can't be out in the open like this,"

Akane glared at him for interrupting her but nodded her head anyway. Yasuo moved to place Chiyo on his back.

"She's not that heavy," he said surprisingly, "I thought her wings would add more mass,"

"Her wings _are_ pretty cool," Saburo added, "I wish I had wings-"

"Be quiet," Masaru hissed "I'm trying to think-"

"Keyword: _Trying_ -"

"We need to get to a police station ASAP. Before the shrimp wakes up," Masaru noted, causing Kino to roll her eyes.

"I just said that-"

"She… she needs help," Masaru said looking down at Chiyo's small form. "You don't just faint like that,"

They all nodded solemnly at that and looked towards the girl in question.

Yasuo shifted her on his back.

"I'm using my quirk on her now. She won't wake up until we get that police station," Yasuo replied calmly. Masaru grinned at him.

"Finally. Someone actually being _useful_ -"

"Shut _up_ Masaru!" the rest of them chorused. Masaru just looked to the side and whistled innocently.

They spent a few minutes walking aimlessly. They knew it would have saved time to ask for help, but something was pulling each one of them back.

 _(How do I know I can trust them? How do I know_ _**they**_ _won't torture me too-)_

Someone tapped on Masaru's shoulder, causing him to jump about a foot in the air. They all got into protective stances.

Masaru turned his head slowly, ready to _pummel_ whoever it was-

An elderly woman stared down at all of them worriedly, and Masaru felt his shoulders begin to loosen.

The woman smiled warmly at them.

"Do you guys need help?"

* * *

When Chiyo awoke, a large blanket surrounded her. Masago was nestled on one side of her, and Kino on the other. In fact… everyone was within at least one meter of her.

Chiyo felt her insides warm at that.

 _(A flash of pink hair- Friendship is a very serious matter Chiyo-chan-)_

Chiyo wiped at her eyes hurriedly, before any tears threatened to spill out.

A large man walked closer to her. He tried for what he most likely thought was a comforting smile.

"Hey there," he said calmly "Do you want some water to drink?"

Chiyo tried to reply to him, but she found she couldn't speak.

All she could do was nod her head slowly. Masago glared at the officer.

"That's nice and all," she said roughly "But can we get to the task at hand? You haven't asked why we're here yet,"

The officer looked taken aback at that.

"I… I thought you guys might be hungry-"

"Well you thought wrong," Masaru snapped. The cop's eyes widened at that, before nodding his head shakily. They were all glaring at him heatedly

Eventually, the cop raised his hands in a placating manner and left the room without another word. Masaru spat at his retreating back.

"Useless ass adults," He hissed "Can't do anything right,"

Chiyo felt inclined to agree, but… it was as if her vocal cords had stopped working.

She took the glass of water the cop had given her, and chugged it. Kino stroked her hair as she did so.

"They… we told him that we had been abducted," Kino explained "We didn't tell him everything about the lab, however,"

Chiyo struggled to find the words.

"Why not?" She eventually rasped. They all looked at her as if she were stupid.

"Cause," Saburo started off, matter of factly "We have to tell him together,"

Chiyo blinked at that and nodded her head slowly.

"Can we… I don't… what happens next?" Chiyo finished lamely "Where… where do we all go?"

They all bowed their heads at that.

"I guess," Yasuo started off "We all go our separate ways. I have an aunt I can go stay with,"

"My ma's probably worried sick," Masaru stated "She's gonna be so weepy when she sees me,"

"I thought you hated adults-"

"My ma's different!" Masaru stated scratching his cheek. Saburo laughed at that.

"Mama's boy," he teased.

Masago and Kino both laughed at that, as Akane brightened.

"I could go see my grandma! My parents probably went over to visit her anyway," She turned an eye towards Masago "What about you Masa-chan?"

Masago froze as all the attention was directed towards her.

"Well…" Masago started off "I… I have an elder sister. I could stay with her for a while,"

"Why can't you stay with your parents?" Masaru questioned bluntly, Masago's eyes hardened at that.

"None of your business _Monkey_ boy _,_ " Masago hissed. Masaru's eyes widened in indignation, as his tail straightened out abruptly.

Kino chuckled slightly, and Masago gave her a look.

"What's so funny?"

"I don't have anywhere to go," Kino admitted "My family's dead. Every single one of them,"

Akane looked towards her sympathetically.

"I'm so sorry Kino-chan-"

"Don't be," Kino interrupted "They were abusive assholes and they got what they deserved,"

Masaru whistled.

"That was dark. Even for you," He stated calmly before looking towards Chiyo "What about you shrimp? Any family members you can go to-"

"No," Chiyo bit out "All I had was my mom,"

Kino patted her head at that.

"We can be orphans together," Kino said solemnly.

Against her better judgment, Chiyo _laughed_. Nothing about Kino's statement was funny. But… it reminded Chiyo of how helpless she really was.

She laughed loudly, startling the other inhabitants of the room. Saburo looked between Kino and Chiyo, before shaking his head.

"You guys are messed up," Saburo started off "But I guess we all are,"

"Where are you gonna go, Saburo?' Masago questioned as she tugged her blanket closer to her. Saburo just hummed.

"That's a good question Sago-chan!" Saburo replied cheerfully "They took me from my house, so I highly doubt my parents are still alive," Saburo paused for a moment, his eyes growing dark before looking towards Chiyo and Kino.

"We could all live in a foster home together?" Saburo brought up lightly "It'll be fun,"

Kino smiled at that.

"Yeah! We could braid each other's hair-"

" _Or_ play video games," Saburo suggested "The choice is yours though,"

Kino grinned at that and brought her arm around Chiyo.

"It's all up to Chiyo-chan! We'll let her decide,"

Saburo just nodded at that. His dark eyes lighting up with mirth. However, she noticed that there was something darker underneath. It… it was similar to sadness.

Chiyo took Saburo's hand in her own. She attempted to smile, but it didn't _quite_ feel right. She instead chose to just pat his hand. Saburo looked surprised for a moment, before smiling down softly at Chiyo. He leaned forward conspiratorially.

"I know you'll make the right choice," he whispered, giving Chiyo a wink.

They spent the next thirty minutes just talking. Chiyo felt herself grow at ease with them.

The comfort was broken, however, when a stern man entered the room, and glanced over all of them. He sat down across from them.

Chiyo felt her throat close up once more.

The man observed all of them, before sighing.

"I have some questions to ask you, kids," He stated gruffly, pulling out a pen and paper.

* * *

The man questioning them was called Shiro. He was young, Chiyo noted, but he looked as if he hadn't smiled a day in his life.

He asked them question after question. How long they had been in the lab. If they had any family to return to. If they had any info about the people that had abducted them.

Eventually, Shiro sighed and looked at them with a stony expression on his face.

"How did you guys escape the lab?" he questioned calmly.

Chiyo started shaking at that, and Masago moved closer to her.

Kino was the one that ended up explaining the events. Shiro's jaw twitched, as a hint of emotion finally flickered through his face.

Once Kino was finished, Shiro got up abruptly and left the room without another word. Masaru snorted at that.

"That wimp. He probably wet his pants-"

"Masaru," Masago reprimanded "You need to stop being so… so crude,"

"I'll be as crude as I want princess,"

Masago groaned in frustration at that.

* * *

Eventually… the seven of them got separated.

They went to the same hospital but were sent to different rooms.

Chiyo shrunk into herself without the comfort of the others. Her doctor-Akito- was nice. In any other instance, she would've appreciated it, but she wasn't in the mood to play nice with anyone at the moment.

Akito sat by her bedside, however, and continued to talk to her. Ignoring the fact, that she only responded to him in grunts. He told her about his wife, who ran a bakery apparently. About his father, who was a complete grouch that didn't like showing his softer side.

After a while… Akito looked over his notes and smiled beatifically down at Chiyo.

"Well, Chiyo-chan! Your physical examination turned out very well," Akito hummed as he observed his notes once more "You have excellent hearing and eyesight. Plus, your body seems to be in top condition," He stated, a slight frown taking over his soft features, before lowering his voice "It's… a bit surprising considering the circumstances,"

Chiyo just nodded, before raising her head slowly.

"Where are the others?" She rasped "I'd...I'd… can I see them?"

Akito gave her a sympathetic look.

"Your friends are being given their own examinations now," He replied before smiling "You'll be able to see them soon,"

Chiyo shrunk in on herself slightly. Her wings forming a cocoon around her.

Akito ruffled her hair, causing her to freeze.

 _(Stop, stop,_ _ **stop**_ _-)_

"Get some rest," Akito stated, and Chiyo had actually _planned_ to follow his advice. A knock on the door alerted her that wouldn't be the case, however.

Shiro walked in abruptly and turned to Akito.

"I have to question her doc," He stated, turning a chair "You can stay if you'd like,"

"She needs rest-"

"This is important," Shiro stressed "She can rest later,"

Akito looked ready to protest some more, but Chiyo cleared her throat.

Her hands shook slightly, but she stared Shiro straight in the eye.

"Can… can we… get this over with?" Chiyo questioned hesitantly, massaging her vocal chords. Shiro stared down at her and nodded his head. Akito looked between the two of them, before eventually taking the seat next to Chiyo.

"Chiyo," Shiro started off softly, surprising her a bit "What did they do to you in the lab?"

* * *

When Shiro had first asked her that question, Chiyo felt a moment of disconnect.

Akito was livid.

"What do you think you're playing at?" He hissed "You couldn't wait-"

"No we couldn't wait," Shiro snapped, before turning to Chiyo "Chiyo… I'm sorry to ask you this so soon after, but it really is very important. I questioned your friends individually, and they wouldn't-" Shiro's gaze softened, as he caught himself "You were in the lab for a long time right? Do you have any idea what… Adachi was aiming to do?"

His name still sent shivers down her spine.

 _(She was being held down-cut open-green eyes stared at her menacingly-)_

"He's a monster,' she whispered "He… he-"

"Take a deep breath," Shiro ordered. Chiyo nodded her head and tried to follow his advice.

"He," Chiyo whispered "Monsters-"

"Chiyo, don't force yourself," Akito said worriedly. Chiyo just shook her head.

"He was creating monsters," Chiyo gasped "He… he told me that he wanted to find a way to transfer quirks. But he lied-"

"Transfer quirks?"

"He… was taking us and turning us into monsters," Chiyo said to herself "That's why they all died-"

"Chiyo, what do you mean-"

"Not human… not right…it all makes so much _sense._ Why didn't I see it before?"

" _Chiyo!_ "

Chiyo shuddered and placed her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. Akito stood up abruptly.

"I think it's time for you to leave," he said sternly "She needs _rest_ ,"

Shiro stared at Akito, and eventually nodded his head. He looked towards Chiyo.

"Good job kid," he said before exiting the room. Akito let out a long sigh the moment he closed the door. He smiled down at Chiyo.

"Rest," He said sternly "You've been through a lot,"

The moment Chiyo's head hit the pillow, sleep greeted her like an old friend.

* * *

" _Captain… this is all too convenient,"_

" _I know, I know-"_

" _It isn't a coincidence that for the past couple of years, children between the ages of 5 and 15 have just gone missing. Vanishing out of thin air. Sometimes even along with their parents,"_

" _Shiro. I get it, I do. But we have to be cautious-"_

" _We need to question the girl some more-"_

" _She's young Shiro, she probably doesn't have much recollection of it,"_

There were times when Chiyo truly hated how advanced her hearing was. Now was one of those times.

She didn't understand why they had to have this conversation right outside of her door.

In truth, she hadn't been getting much sleep anyways. But, their voices were _annoying_.

Eventually, Chiyo gritted her teeth and threw the covers off of her legs. Her wings flared as she marched over to the door, and slammed it open. Shiro and his 'captain' stared at her in awe.

Chiyo glared at them.

"You're both… _very_ rude… I hope you know that," she stated as she rubbed her eyes "But… I can help you,"

Shiro looked to his captain for a moment, before crouching down to Chiyo's level.

"What do you mean Chiyo?"

Chiyo just stared at him, red eyes carefully blank. Her body started to shake.

 _(Stop it. He's not_ _ **doing**_ _anything. Stop being such a_ _ **wimp**_ _-)_

"I'll… I…" Chiyo took a deep breath " _I can show you the lab where we were held_. Or… at least... point you in the right… direction,"

Shiro grinned at that. It transformed his features, Chiyo noted. It made him look his physical age.

Shiro turned to look at his boss with a determined look in his eye-

"But if you plan on finding any survivors," Chiyo rasped, a heavy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach "You won't. The lab was burned to ashes,"

Shiro's grin left as quickly as it came, like a light switch, Chiyo mused. The captain thanked Chiyo briskly for her help and walked with Shiro to the other end of the hall.

Chiyo watched them walk away, and felt something heavy settle on her chest.

 _(The lab-the_ _**lab**_ _-she didn't_ _ **want**_ _to go_ _ **back**_ _-)_

Chiyo put her head in her hands.

 _(There was something wrong with her-this wasn't_ _ **normal-**_ _)_

Her body was still shaking, as she walked back into her hospital room.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 4! Even though Chiyo is free from the lab, the torture she experienced will still affect her. The other six experienced torture as well, but it wasn't as extensive as the torture Chiyo faced, due to the fact she was there for a much longer time than them. Chiyo's age is a huge factor as well. Since she was taken very young, it'll take a while before she can function normally. Regarding the chapter itself, I don't have much else to say. But, I would like to give a shout out to _MerhppDerhpp_ for helping me plan out this story in the beginning. Also, I would like to give a shout out to _Nightmare Zane_ , for letting me bounce ideas off of them. I appreciate it very much. They both have My Hero Academia stories out as well, which are really good. If you haven't seen them yet, you should definitely check them out.

Questions I have for you Guys:

Do you guys prefer me using line breaks, or the _xxx_ to separate the different scenes?

Do you guys have any questions for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_

 _P.P.S. I also want to give a shout out to MarshmellowTime for letting me know what she thinks of the story. She's an amazing author(obviously) and I'm pleased she liked what I had so far._


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

She felt her chest constrict, her senses dulled. Akito looked down at her with what seemed to be a pitying expression on his face.

 _ **N.47.**_

That was what Adachi had branded her as.

He had placed it on her lower back. When? Chiyo wasn't sure of.

All she knew was that no matter how far away she was from him, Adachi would always have some sort of hold on her. On _all_ of them.

 _(She could never truly be free. That bastard had ruined_ _ **all of it**_ _-)_

Chiyo _screamed_.

It wasn't a loud scream. It was more of a pitiful whine, to be honest. But Chiyo didn't _care_.

 _(He's taken everything from me-)_

Akito held onto her as she let out her tears. She clawed at him, spat at him, _yelled_ at him. But, he didn't let go.

Eventually… she just _stopped_.

She grabbed onto his shirt and cried like the pitiful child she was.

 _(You're not free. He still has a hold of you-)_

He still had a hold of her. He still haunted her dreams.

She doubted she'd ever truly be free of him.

* * *

They all ended up being separated.

Akane's grandmother was the first to come, her parents following shortly after.

It was a teary reunion, Chiyo noted. The moment Akane saw her grandmother, the girl had run into the elderly woman's arms almost immediately.

Something _clenched_ in Chiyo's stomach at the sight. It raged inside of her as she watched the scene with blank eyes.

" _Oh?"_ She eventually realized as she watched Akane. " _This is jealousy, isn't it?"_

Masaru's mother came next.

Machiko Yamada was a short woman. At first glance, she looked completely normal.

There was something deeper in her eyes however, Chiyo observed, as she saw her gather Masaru in a hug. Her amber eyes _burned_.

For all his rough edges, the moment his mother walked into the room, Masaru's eyes softened.

One by one, the seven of them started to decrease.

Masago was taken by her sister, Yasuo was picked up by an aunt, and the remaining three just sat there.

It wouldn't be the last time they saw each other, Chiyo heeded, as Masago gave her a teary hug. They were still going to be brought in for questioning regarding the lab.

Something tugged inside of her, however.

It was the same feeling she had when she had found Hanami's body. When she had learned of Toga's fate.

 _(Please…_ _ **don't leave me-**_ _)_

Even though he had said differently, Chiyo suspected that a large part of Saburo had still expected to see his parents walk through the door. When they didn't… a silent kind of acceptance graced his features.

The police reported that they couldn't find his parent's bodies.

Kino just squeezed his hand.

The three of them had been sent to a foster home for the time being. Until somewhere more _suitable_ could be found to house them.

They were given second-hand clothes and ratty blankets. Saburo had scrunched his nose at that, but Chiyo pinched him none too lightly.

"Don't be ungrateful. Tsubaki-san was very kind to take us on such short notice," She had whispered "We're only staying here until they can find a better place for us, it could be much worse,"

With a shameful look on his face, he nodded. A strained smile made its way onto his lips.

"Guess we'll have to get used to this, huh, Chiyo-chan?" He replied wanly "It's kind of funny if you think about it-"

"No," Chiyo stated firmly, punching his shoulder lightly. "It… it won't always be like this. It'll get better,"

"Maybe," He relented, a defeated look growing in his eyes " _Maybe,_ "

Kino just stared out the window. Chiyo bit her lip in frustration, trying to think of anything she could possibly do to make the situation better.

 _What would Hanami do?_

Chiyo mulled that question over in her head, as her two new… was she being too _forward_ in calling them her friends? She didn't think so at least. With wide eyes, she looked towards her two companions.

"Are we friends?" She questioned rather loudly, feeling her cheeks heat up. Saburo and Kino just stared at her.

A heavy weight settled on her chest, _because oh no they weren't friends andshehadjust-_

Laughter filled the room that the three of them shared.

Tears squeezed out of Saburo's eyes, as he rolled on the floor. Kino tried and failed to hold in her giggles.

She eventually gathered Chiyo in a warm hug.

 _(She wasn't used to being hugged. Even Hanami and Toga hadn't hugged her much. But… it felt nice. Accepting-)_

"Chiyo-chan," Saburo said in between laughing " _Yes_ we're friends. After everything, it'd be weird not to be,"

Chiyo blinked at that, before nodding slightly.

"All of us are friends?" Chiyo questioned softly "All seven of us?"

Saburo froze at that, a blank look entered his eyes. Kino, however, nodded firmly.

"Even if we won't see them much, we'll always be friends," Kino informed sternly "I'll kick their asses if they say otherwise. Right, Saburo?"

Saburo was silent at first, before eventually nodding his head as well.

A breath Chiyo hadn't known she'd been _holding_ , seemed to escape her. She leaned into Kino's embrace.

 _(It felt so warm-)_

"That's good," she whispered, as her eyes began to close.

* * *

Their temporary guardian was an elderly woman that went by the name of Tsubaki.

Tsubaki was nice enough, but she had no business watching over children. She was easily forgetful and tended to leave the three of them to their own devices.

Chiyo didn't necessarily mind being ignored, but it got a bit… aggravating at times.

There were times they had to worry about getting their own food, and just doing things for themselves.

As she had said before, Chiyo didn't mind all of that. She was used to not relying on adults to help her out.

However… it was as if the people that placed them there just didn't _care_.

 _(Why would they care? You're just some dumb_ _ **orphan-**_ _)_

Someone was pinching her cheeks.

Chiyo looked up and saw Saburo staring down at her amusedly.

"Get up," He ordered, taking her hand in his. "Me and Kino are going to the store. Tsubaki-san needs milk,"

Chiyo shook her head immediately, as she tried to pry her hand from his grip.

"N-No! I can't-"

 _(They were all walking so fast- She didn't fit in-She was_ _ **scared**_ _-)_

"Chiyo," Saburo said softly "We're scared too. But we have to do this-"

 _(I don't want to-)_

"We _have_ to," He reaffirmed "We can't be afraid forever,"

Chiyo's wings wilted, as she avoided looking into the older boy's eyes. Saburo pulled her up gently.

"The store's down the street," Saburo informed, leading Chiyo out of the room "Put your shoes on,"

Chiyo just nodded her head, as Kino went to her other side.

Tsubaki hummed nonsensically as they left the house.

Saburo slammed the door on his way out, causing Kino to look at him with wide eyes.

"Stop that, you'll bother Tsubaki-san-"

"Who cares," Saburo hissed "She probably didn't even realize we left,"

"Saburo, we're all frustrated-"

"Don't you think I know that KIno?" Saburo replied brokenly "It's as if… they don't care what happens to us. All they care about is getting information about the lab-"

"Lower your voice-"

"-and they couldn't give less of a shit if something happened to us afterward," Saburo took a deep breath "Tsubaki-san's been very kind to us, I won't say otherwise. But she can't even remember our _names_ half the time,"

The two girls were silent at that, as they walked down the street. Saburo ran a hand through his hair.

"I just… I feel so tired," He admitted with a broken look on his face. "Don't you guys feel tired too? Doesn't it annoy you that the other four have a family to go back to while we're stuck _here_?"

Chiyo's heart clenched, as she looked up and saw tears squeeze out of Saburo's eyes. She grasped his hand and shook her head.

"It does bother me," She replied softly "But… I'm glad that I have you guys at least. That's something isn't it?"

Saburo froze as quiet tears started to stream down his face. Chiyo and Kino chose not to comment at that, and instead just continued to walk silently next to him.

"I miss them," Saburo admitted, as he sniffled slightly. "I'm grateful for you guys too, but I _miss_ my parents,"

"Me too," Chiyo replied, as she thought of Nadeshiko's warm smile " _Me too_ ,"

* * *

The three of them were brought in for further questioning throughout the next couple of days.

Masaru, Masago, Yasuo, and Akane were nowhere in sight.

Saburo tched at that, while Kino's eyes just seemed to dull.

 _(Are we not friends anymore-)_

When she had asked one of the officers' about it, they had averted their eyes.

"They've been asked to come on another day," He stated nonchalantly "Now… could you tell us about some of the other test subjects?"

 _Crack._

 _(Why another day-)_

Her breathing started to quicken. Her palms began to sweat.

 _(They were supposed to do this together-)_

"Oi!" The man questioned worriedly "Are you alright-"

 _(She didn't- Did they not want to see her possibly?- Maybe they just wanted to_ _ **move on**_ _-)_

Kino placed a hand on her back, and Chiyo leaned into her.

"She's tired," Kino explained, testily. "It hasn't exactly been easy for us these past couple days,"

The officer nodded at that, but still continued with his questions.

Kino's brow furrowed at that, and she opened her mouth. No doubt ready to voice her complaints.

But, Saburo just placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

"Ignore it," He whispered. "Just let it go,"

Kino's shoulders shook, but she followed his advice. She spent the rest of their session just glaring at the officer.

He carried on nonplussed and wrote down all the information they gave to him.

After muttering a quick goodbye to them, the officer- _Chiyo hadn't cared enough to remember his name_ \- left as quickly as he came.

Kino glared at his retreating back, but Chiyo could only focus on one thing.

 _(After all, we've been through… will I never see them again-)_

"Well," Saburo said dryly "Hopefully this will be the last time we have to do this,"

Kino nodded her head in agreement at that, before looking towards Chiyo.

"Chiyo-chan, are you alright?" She questioned "That police officer was annoying-"

'I'm just tired," Chiyo stated, as she smiled up at her two companions "Thanks for worrying about me,"

"No problem," Kino replied "We should be able to get something to eat after this,"

Chiyo just nodded her head.

 _(Even if she couldn't see the other four, at least she had them-)_

* * *

The police finally decided they had enough information to go on, and finally prepared to go and investigate the lab once and for all.

They believed that Adachi had multiple labs scattered around the country, possibly even the world. Chiyo wouldn't have put it past him.

 _(She was being held down-cut open-green eyes stared at her menacingly-)_

The police sent a special ops team down, along with a few… _pro heroes._ The sight of them made Chiyo want to retch.

 _(The one thing Hanami was wrong about-She hated them-How_ _ **dare**_ _they- They didn't deserve to call themselves that-)_

They had planned to use the directions that they had given them to properly search the lab and sort through the remains.

 _(Even if they aren't alive, they're families still need reassurance-)_

So… the team went down, and they wouldn't resurface for three days.

At first, Chiyo suspected the worst.

 _(What if Adachi was back-what if he was_ ** _prepared_** _for this-)_

Kino tried to reassure her. She said that even if Adachi was back, he didn't stand a chance against an entire team of police officers.

"Honestly, Chiyo. You worry too much," The grey-eyed girl had said as she ruffled Chiyo's hair.

 _(That's easy for you to say, you don't know the full extent of what he's capable of-)_

Her worries only intensified, however, when they were asked to come back down to the police station a week later.

Masago was down there.

At first, the three of them froze. Not quite sure how to approach the other girl.

She looked a bit different now. She wore glasses and had her raven hair tied up into a very high ponytail. She wouldn't stop fidgeting, as she looked around the room.

Saburo and Kino just stared at her for a moment, speechless. Chiyo, however, didn't need any prompting. She ran forward and gave the taller girl a hug from behind.

Masago stiffened at first, before smiling after she saw who it was.

"Hey, Chiyo-chan. It's been a while," Masago stated, as she wrapped her arms around the younger girl. She looked towards Kino and Saburo. "How have you guys been?"

"We've been doing fine," Saburo lied smoothly "The real question is, what are you doing here?"

Masago seemed to wilt slightly at the looks Kino and Saburo were giving her.

"I… my sister is talking to the officer right now. They said that… they found survivors,"

For that moment in time… everything froze.

 _(Could it be?-Hanami did have a regeneration quirk, maybe she-)_

"Only adult survivors, however," Masago relayed, upon seeing the hopeful look on Chiyo's face. "I'm… they wanted to know if we could possibly identify who they are. Masaru, Akane and Yasuo are supposed to be coming down soon as well,"

Saburo scoffed slightly at that but made no comment. Kino just smiled at Masago.

"It's great to see you again," She replied, giving the girl a hug of her own. "We were worried you guys were avoiding us y'know,"

Masago shook her head immediately at that.

"No!" Masago replied vehemently. "I… I'd never," Masago took a deep breath "They wanted us to come on different days. I… think they thought it would help us focus more. Give more information,"

"That's stupid, " Saburo said bluntly "Why would they-"

"I don't know," Masago stressed "I wanted to see you guys, I did. But, I thought you wouldn't want to see me. I thought, maybe you'd resent me-"

"Shut up Princess," A rough voice interrupted. "Your squeaky voice is giving me a migraine,"

Masago's eye twitched, as Chiyo's eyes widened. She searched for the source of the voice.

Masaru walked into the room slowly. Even though he tried to put off an air of confidence, Chiyo noticed the dark bags that decorated the bottom of his eyes.

She held out an arm towards him. Masaru's eyebrows raised.

"What do you want Shrimp-"

Chiyo pulled Masaru into a hug as well, despite his protests. He scowled heavily, but she noticed he didn't push her off.

"I missed you guys," Chiyo mumbled softly, "I thought we wouldn't see each other again-"

Masaru just flicked her forehead.

"That's stupid, we were bound to run into each other at some point. I couldn't get rid of you nerds even if I tried,"

"You missed us," Saburo replied, looking a bit lighter.

"You wish!" Masaru hissed, as his tail straightened out. The blush that came over his face went against his words, however.

Someone hugged Chiyo from behind, and the girl instantly felt herself grow at ease.

Yasuo smiled down at her serenely. Everything the boy did could be described as serene.

"I missed you guys," he stated softly, his cheek pressing against the top of Chiyo's head. "It's been a while-"

"It's only been two weeks!" Masaru hissed "Now get _off_ me,"

In reply to that, everyone in the room gathered around Masaru for a group hug.

"Hey, hey! You're having a group hug, without me?" A cheery voice questioned. Masaru just gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes.

"Oh great," He mumbled, before stating sarcastically "Why don't you just join in too?"

Akane didn't need to be told twice and rushed to hug Masaru from behind. One by one they all started to join. Saburo just stood off to the side, however, his eyes a bit downcast. Chiyo looked up at him.

She… she didn't smile at him. She found it was hard for her to smile _truthfully_ at times. Therefore, she just stared at him and held a hand out.

Kino was much more physical and strong-armed the boy into a hug.

Saburo stiffened at first, before eventually falling into it. Chiyo could see his eyes begin to water.

 _(Human beings were so fascinating-This was a happy moment, yet he was_ _**crying**_ _-)_

They stayed like that for a very long time.

 _(She felt warm, and-and fuzzy inside-Was this happiness-)_

Yes, Chiyo thought, as she hugged them even tighter.

 _(Hugs-Hugs are nice. I should've given Hanami and Toga some of these-)_

Hanami and Toga…. The thought of them made Chiyo tear up slightly.

 _(They're gone-_ _ **let them go**_ _-)_

She buried her nose into Masaru's jacket and basked in the warmness of it.

 _(They would want you to be happy-)_

* * *

"We found her, Chiyo-chan,"

 _(That feeling was back again, Chiyo noted. She really didn't like it-)_

"Your mother was one of the survivors, she's asleep right now,"

 _(That statement should've made her feel happy- why was she so sad-)_

"However… she's not in a very good state," The physician stated sadly. Tsubaki-san gasped at that and looked towards Chiyo with a pitiful look in her eyes.

 _(Stop… I don't want or need your pity-)_

"We… we will have to admit her to a hospital," The doctor- _who wasn't Akito_ \- noted. Chiyo cleared her throat at that.

 _(Be strong Chiyo-don't falter-)_

"How… long?" She questioned calmly. The doctor just shook his head.

"Long-term," He replied.

 _(That explains it, that explained the feeling-)_

"I understand," Chiyo stated solemnly, as she bowed her head. "Please... do your best to help her,"

 _(She knew not to get her hopes up-She knew, and yet-)_

"We will," The doctor promised firmly, bowing his head. "You can count on us,"

 _(Life isn't fair, Chiyo thought as she was taken away from the police station. She knew this, of course. It was a fact that she had to deal with for a very long time. Ever since her first life-)_

"I'm sorry, Chiyo," Tsubaki-san stated, looking more focused than Chiyo had ever seen her. It was then she realized that maybe Tsubaki had _always_ been that way, and her clueless nature was just an act.

"It's alright," She replied softly "I was prepared for it,"

 _(Because she was prepared for it. She knew her mother couldn't ever be the same after that-)_

They went to collect Kino and Saburo. The others already having left earlier on, promising to keep in touch. The two elder children looked at Chiyo with worry in their eyes but remained quiet.

Chiyo grabbed both of their hands, in a gesture of reassurance.

"I… I want to eat something sweet when we get back," Chiyo stated, raising her head "Could you bake us some cake, Tsubaki-san?"

The elderly woman smiled at that and nodded her head.

"Of course, Chiyo-chan. Whatever you need,"

 _Whatever you need._

 _(Take your time-)_

It felt nice hearing that.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 5! What did you guys think? I feel like I incorporated a lot of things into this chapter, and that it became a bit rushed. I just didn't want to linger too much or drag things on. One of you guys asked whether or not this story would meet up with the canon storyline. Even though it may take a while(We most likely won't hit canon until chapter 20) we _will_ get to canon. I plan to follow through the entire manga/anime in this story. As you can see, Chiyo's mindset right now is a bit scrambled and jaded. Her thoughts tend to get very negative even though she puts up a strong front. Before we even get close to the canon storyline, Chiyo needs to address this aspect of herself, and get over any personal demons that she has. Please leave a review, and tell me what you thought of this chapter!

Questions I have for you Guys:

What are some questions you guys have for me?

Do you guys feel as if this chapter was rushed?

 _P.S. I'd like to thank_ _Nightmare Zane_ _for helping me out when it comes to ideas for this story._

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter._


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

Good things never last. That was a fact that Chiyo had been presented with time and time again.

 _(Why do you always get your hopes up?- Stupid,stupid,_ _ **stupid**_ _-)_

It was presented to her once more, when her social worker, a chubby woman by the name of Sayaka took her by the hand one morning and led her out of Tsubaki-san's house.

She had finally gotten used to living with the elderly woman. All of her quirks, and oddities. Chiyo had come to understand them. She had come to learn that the woman was incredibly intuitive under her clueless demeanor.

She had gotten used to living with her… her _friends_. Saburo and Kino had become important to her.

But, now it was as if none of that even mattered. She was being carted away to a much more permanent address, Sayaka had said with a stupid smile on her face.

 _(It was as if what she wanted didn't matter-)_

Saburo and Kino were still staying at Tsubaki's house. Apparently, the offer didn't extend to them.

They didn't resent her for it, however, and sent her away with forced smiles.

"Come visit, okay?" Kino had said, after giving Chiyo a crushing hug. "It'll get dull without you here,"

Saburo had been much quieter and didn't speak much to her on the days leading up to her departure.

The night before she left, however, he walked up to her with a red hand mark decorating his cheek. Courtesy of Kino, Chiyo suspected.

They stood in awkward silence for a few moments, until Saburo finally met her gaze.

"Sorry I've been… rude to you lately," He stated, bowing his head "I just… it's gonna be weird not having you around, I guess,"

Chiyo lowered her head at that, before moving forward and wrapping her arms around Saburo's midsection. The older boy returned it immediately.

 _(She liked hugs. Giving them, and receiving them. She found that they could be extremely comforting-)_

"Maybe… _maybe_ you guys will be able to come too. I could ask Sayaka-san-"

Saburo shook his head and gave Chiyo a crooked grin.

"I'm… I'm getting used to staying here," Saburo said quietly, as he looked around the house with a small smile. "I know they said it's only temporary… but I want to see if it can be a permanent fix. It's so quiet around here,"

"I thought you said you hated the quiet,"

"I used to," Saburo admitted, his eyes gaining a darker look to them. "But… it's not so bad. It's soothing and-and _peaceful_ -"

"I get it," Chiyo replied defeatedly "You like it because it's the exact opposite of you-"

"Haha," Saburo replied dryly, flicking Chiyo's forehead. "You're just _so_ funny,"

Chiyo laughed slightly at that, before lowering her head. Saburo placed a hand on top of it, as his dark eyes glittered with mirth.

"Come on, there's nothing to be sad about! We'll still be able to see each other," Saburo placated "Once things settle… maybe all seven of us could meet up once in a while,"

 _Once in a while…_

The words seemed to echo, as Chiyo just nodded her head. She tightened her hold on Saburo.

"Thank you Saburo," She whispered, burying her nose in his jacket. " _Thank you,"_

Saburo just smiled and ruffled her hair once more.

"What are friends for?" He said jokingly, before sobering slightly. "... Take care of yourself, alright?"

When it came to Kino, not many words had to be spoken. They just _understood_.

The three of them slept in the same bed that night. Just like they did when they had first arrived at Tsubaki's house.

 _(... She_ _ **loved**_ _them… she loved all of them she was beginning to realize-)_

The morning she leaves is filled with tears. More on Tsubaki-san's part, than any of the children.

The elderly woman takes Chiyo's hands in her own.

"You're free to come to visit whenever you like, Chiyo-chan," The woman had sniffled "I still have to teach you how to make a cherry pie,"

Chiyo just nodded her head, as she felt her eyes begin to water. Her bottom lip wobbled, as she let out a cough. Tsubaki just stroked her hair, running her hand through the braids she had put in them.

"You're such a kind girl," Tsubaki crooned, as she wiped Chiyo's tears. "Anyone that gets you will be the luckiest in the world,"

Kino and Saburo just watched the exchange with blank eyes. Careful not to show too much emotion.

Chiyo gave them last one hug and took Sayaka's hand once more.

 _(I'm sorry… I- I didn't want to leave you-)_

As she entered the car, she peeked out of the window. Her fears and insecurities crushing down on her.

 _She was really leaving._

 _(There were times when she woke up screaming. When memories would come rushing back all at once. Kino was always there to hug her, Saburo was always there to make some stupid joke-)_

Tears started to stream down Chiyo's face, as she hiccuped quite roughly. Sayaka started to panic.

"Chiyo-chan," She stated softly. She attempted to reach out towards Chiyo, before deciding against it. "There really isn't anything to worry about. The man you're going to live with- he's a former police detective. He… he can be a bit grumpy at times, but he's really just a giant softy,"

Chiyo just let the words wash over her, as she nodded vacantly.

 _(I'm not crying because of that- I'm crying because I'm_ _ **happy**_ _-)_

She didn't _want_ to leave Kino and Saburo, but she _needed_ to she was quickly realizing. She needed to stop hiding behind them, and experience life for herself.

 _(You were always so afraid- you were never brave a day in your life. But now's your chance-)_

She gave Sayaka a watery smile.

"Please… tell me more about… the man I'm going to stay with," Chiyo questioned, as she wiped at her eyes hurriedly. Sayaka blinked, before giving Chiyo an affectionate smile.

"Well… his name's Hiroto…"

* * *

" _Chiyo… Don't let him break you. Don't let him ruin your life-"_

* * *

Her new home was incredibly ordinary, Chiyo thought as she trailed behind Sayaka. While Tsubaki-san's house had been in a more isolated area, this house was located in a rather mundane neighborhood.

 _(They were all going so fast-)_

Chiyo felt her head swarm, as she saw people walk past them. She leaned into Sayaka's side in order to gather her thoughts. She breathed in and out as she had been instructed to do multiple times prior.

 _(They're just people Chiyo, people like you. Why are you so afraid of them-)_

Sayaka stared down at her worriedly.

"Chiyo-chan," She whispered softly "It's going to be okay. I really think you two will be a good match for each other,"

Chiyo just nodded her head, as her wings seemed to wilt behind her. Sayaka just patted her back, as she went to knock on the door.

Tsubaki's house had held a distinct warmness to it, despite its oddities. This house, however, had nothing of the sort. It felt slightly darker, sadder.

The door was eventually opened, and a rather gruff looking man walked out.

He had deep stress lines on his forehead, and his eyes held a certain intensity to them. His posture and the way he held himself was the epitome of perfection. He looked at Sayaka frigidly.

"Matsushita-kun," He started off roughly, causing a slight shiver to make its way down Chiyo's spine "This is the girl I presume?"

Sayaka rolled her eyes at him.

"Come on Hiroto-san," Sayaka started off impatiently, placing a hand on her hip. "I told you to call me _Sayaka_ ,"

Hiroto just stared at her, for what seemed to be an eon. Before clearing his throat.

"Sayaka-kun, then," He relented, before turning his steely gaze onto Chiyo "This is… Chiyo, then?"

Chiyo meekly nodded her head and forced herself into a very deep bow.

"T-thank you for taking me in… on such short notice," Chiyo replied hesitantly. Hiroto just nodded his head and turned to let them inside.

The inside of the house creeped Chiyo out.

It wasn't as if there was anything necessarily weird in the house. Everything was pretty dull, just like the neighborhood.

It was the fact that everything was so _perfect_.

There wasn't a book out of place, a speck of dust on the ground. It was as if no one had ever lived here.

Chiyo's eyes zoomed across the room, trying to find anything that could be seen as less than perfect.

She failed miserably every time.

"Is something the matter?"

His voice was like steel. It _cut_ through Chiyo's skin.

The red-eyed girl shook her head immediately.

"I...no Hiroto-san! Your home is very nice," Chiyo stated as she schooled her features "I… I-I was just surprised at how clean it was,"

She felt her heart rate speed up as the man stared down at her.

"Hiroto,"

"E-excuse me?"

"If you're going to be living here now," The man started off slowly. "You may call me Hiroto,"

Chiyo just nodded her head and attempted to meet the man's eyes. They were a beautiful shade of blue, Chiyo realized as a jolt of nostalgia ran through her.

 _She had seen those eyes before._

Sayaka cleared her throat and smiled at the both of them.

"See Hiroto-san? I told you it would-"

"What else do I need to worry about Matsushita-kun?" Hiroto interrupted, causing the chubby woman to double take.

"I told you it was Sayaka," She mumbled, before gathering herself. "In regards to what you need to worry about… I plan to come to visit the house once a week-"

" _Joy"_

"-just so I can record how things are going," Sayaka finished, narrowing her eyes at the interruption. "I'm not worried about anything, but it's just a precaution,"

Hiroto nodded his head in understanding and went to open the door. Sayaka's jaw dropped, as he looked at her expectantly.

"It was lovely seeing you," He drawled "But, it is getting rather late, and you have been here for a rather long time,"

Chiyo's eyes widened as she went to look at the clock. Sayaka and she had come to the house an hour and a half ago. She couldn't believe how fast the time had gone.

Sayaka gasped as she looked at her watch.

"But… it says 3:30 on mine-"

"Do you really think I'd have the wrong time Matsushita-kun?" He questioned, with his hands folded behind his back. Sayaka shook her head hurriedly.

"Of course not-"

"Didn't you say you had another meeting?" Hiroto questioned, barely giving Sayaka a chance to collect her thoughts. The usually upbeat woman just nodded her head once more.

"Thank you Hiroto-san! I'll call you lat-"

Hiroto closed the door on her face.

Chiyo had watched the scene unfold curiously, as she set the few items she could call her own down on the ground. While it was true she found Sayaka annoying at times, she did feel slightly bad for her. She stared up at Hiroto once more, with one eyebrow raised.

"You changed the clocks didn't you?"

Hiroto's eyes widened, as he whipped around to look down at Chiyo. The girl caught herself immediately and bowed her head.

"I… I didn't m-mean it like that-"

"Observant aren't you?" Hiroto questioned as he shook his head. Chiyo noted that his eyes looked lighter, however.

"She gets very annoying very fast," Hiroto grumbled, as he slowly walked into the kitchen. "If I wanted to hear someone talk all day I'd go to my daughter-in-law,"

Chiyo scratched her cheek, as the man walked back into what Chiyo could only assume was the living room.

"Y-you have a… a kid?"

"My son," He replied flatly, before turning to look towards Chiyo. "He's coming over tomorrow, so be prepared. He and the missus don't think I can do a good job with ya,"

Chiyo nodded her head and dug her fingernails into her palms. While the action did hurt immensely, Chiyo found that it calmed her down. She looked up at Hiroto once more.

"What… what room will I be staying in?" She questioned as she gathered her minimal belongings. Hiroto turned on his heel and beckoned for the girl to follow him.

Chiyo looked through the house as he led her towards the end of a hall. It was a lot bigger than it looked on the outside. Multiple awards were hung up on the walls, thanking Hiroto for his service. There were also a few pictures of what Chiyo could only assume to be a much younger Hiroto, with a beautiful woman on his arm and a child nestled under the other. He looked happy.

The child made Chiyo stop in her tracks for a moment. He looked familiar for some reason.

She stood there for a few more moments, before eventually hurrying after Hiroto.

Eventually, they made their way to a medium sized room, that contained only a single twin sized bed. The walls were painted a dark red.

"I thought you might want to fill the room with items of your choosing," Hiroto started off slowly "That's why it's empty for now,"

Chiyo just nodded her head, as she placed the few clothes Tsubaki had been able to give her, down on the ground. He took a deep breath and observed the room once more.

Toga would've loved it she mused, as she went to stand next to the bed. The walls reminded her of blood.

"It was my son's old room," Hiroto said as he cleared his throat. "The walls used to be green, but I didn't know if you'd like that color,"

 _(Green eyes stared down at her menacingly-)_

Chiyo suppressed a shiver.

"N-no. this… this is fine. Thank you for your… consideration," Chiyo replied respectfully "I… I can't thank you enough,"

She truly couldn't. No matter how much she had wanted to stay with Tsubaki, the elderly woman wouldn't have been allowed to handle three children for a long period of time at her age.

Since she had left… maybe Kino and Saburo would be able to stay permanently at least.

The thought of them made Chiyo smile as she went to bring out her clothing. She wondered how they were doing.

 _("You're welcome back anytime, Chiyo-chan-")_

Her wings flared, as her lips twitched upwards. It wasn't a smile, not yet at least, but it was the closest Chiyo had gotten in a long time.

 _(How long has it been since you've truly been free-)_

Her heart felt… _lighter._

* * *

Dinner that night was silent for the most part.

After she had gotten situated, she had spent the remainder of the afternoon staring at the wall. She knew it was a weird thing to do, but she didn't know what _else_ to do.

She wasn't familiar with the house completely, and she didn't know how to properly interact with Hiroto.

She just… she didn't know _what_ to say to him.

Sayaka had said that he was a softy, but Chiyo so far hadn't seen that part of him. All she had seen were his sharp edges.

When he called her down, she steeled herself and made her way down the stairs as if she was a soldier going to war.

 _(She refused to let anyone scare her again- she_ _**refused**_ _-)_

When she walked down, she had been surprised to see Hiroto in a pink apron. A giggle rose up in her throat, as she covered her mouth immediately. Hiroto caught her gaze.

"Matsushita-kun got this for me," He stated as he prepared the dinner table. "It's surprisingly comfortable,"

Chiyo's eyes widened slightly at that.

"D-did you know Sayaka-san for a long time?" She questioned as she went to take a seat. Hiroto nodded his head.

"She was friends with my son growing up. For some reason, she still loves to come by and bother me," Even though he said this, Chiyo spotted a bit of fondness in his cerulean eyes. It gave Chiyo hope.

 _(Maybe this won't be so bad.)_

The rest of the dinner was silent, but it wasn't an awkward silence.

They ate their food comfortably and watched TV afterward. Tsubaki hadn't liked watching TV, and Chiyo hadn't watched TV in many years. She found that she liked it.

She went to sleep that night, with only her future in mind.

 _She could do this._

With that thought in mind, Chiyo drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Chiyo woke up in a cold sweat, whimpering.

It was the same nightmare she had every night, except this time there was nobody there to comfort her.

She breathed in and out and dug her fingernails into her palms once more. The area was starting to scar.

She tried to go back to sleep, but she found she couldn't, she didn't _want_ to.

 _(She was being held down-cut open-green eyes stared at her menacingly-)_

Her wings twitched, as she flew out of the room she was in. Her wings screamed in protest at first, but they eventually got used to it.

She had missed flying, missed it dearly. She had missed the freedom it had given her. She had used to hate her wings, due to the fact that they made her stand out more than she had ever wanted to in this life. But now… she couldn't imagine a life without them. She couldn't imagine the pain her mother had to go through parting with them.

 _(Her mother… her poor,_ ** _helpless_** _mother-)_

Chiyo slapped her cheeks, as she noticed a light on in the living room. Tentatively she flew closer to it.

Hiroto was sitting in the living room, with his legs folded. He was staring down at a board that Chiyo didn't recognize.

"Why are you up?" He questioned not looking up from the board once. Chiyo bristled, and her wing ended up knocking a picture over.

After muttering an apology, Chiyo went to pick up the item. She observed the picture as she put it back in its place.

"I… I had a nightmare," Chiyo admitted, looking downwards. "It's hard for me to sleep at times,"

Hiroto just nodded his head, his eyes never leaving the board. Chiyo stared at him for a few moments.

"Why… are you up? If you don't mind my asking," Chiyo questioned as she slowly moved closer to him.

"I can't sleep either," He replied dryly, before gesturing to the board. "This helps me clear my head,"

Chiyo nodded as she eventually just flew to the place across from him. Hiroto chuckled lowly as she took a seat.

"What game is this?" Chiyo questioned as she too observed the board. It looked similar to a chessboard, but she wasn't completely sure.

"Shogi," Hiroto explained simply, finally turning to look towards her. "Do you want to play?"

Chiyo shook her head tentatively, as a sharp glint entered the older man's eyes.

"I won't go easy on you," He said as he set up the board. "You ever play this before?"

Chiyo just shook her head and listened on respectfully as he taught her the rules of the game.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 6! I just want to thank all the people that favorited, reviewed and followed this story. It really means a lot to me. This chapter wasn't very action-packed, but I did enjoy writing it. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it just as much. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of it. I also want to say that even though Chiyo has gone to live elsewhere, Tsubaki and the core 7 will still be a part of her life. When will they all come back in? You'll just have to read and find out.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What do you guys think of Hiroto's character?

What are some questions you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter._

 _P.P.S. I'd like to thank Nightmare Zane for letting me bounce ideas off of them. I really appreciate it._


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

Someone was banging on the door.

At first, Chiyo automatically went into a protective stance, prepared to defend herself if the need arose. Hiroto didn't seem fazed by it, however, and with a heavy sigh went to open the door.

Chiyo scrunched her nose at Hiroto's… carelessness. Wasn't he the least bit concerned about who he was letting in?

A mess of red hair barreled into the house, causing Chiyo to jump back. A short woman wrapped her arms around Hiroto's neck and pulled him down for a hug. While he didn't seem happy about, Hiroto didn't complain either.

"You will not _believe_ how awful the traffic was," The woman stated, as she took off her shoes and tossed them to the side. "It took me about an hour to get here!"

Hiroto just nodded, as he took the woman's shoes and placed them in the proper spot.

"You're always such a neat freak," The woman tutted, as she ran a hand through her hair. "I wish I could be like you-"

"I thought you said I was a grouch with a stick up my ass," Hiroto stated plainly. The woman just waved her hand at that.

"Y'know… I didn't mean it like _that_ ," She said as she moved towards the couch. She stroked her chin in contemplation, before shaking her head. "Well…. I _did_. But, that was a long time ago,"

The woman then set her eyes on Chiyo and beamed.

"You're Chiyo-chan, right?" The bubbly woman questioned as she crouched down to Chiyo's height. The woman gushed and pinched Chiyo's cheeks. "You're so _cute_!"

Chiyo massaged her cheek as the woman started to tug on her hand. She had so much _energy_.

"I'm Asami! We're gonna have a lot of fun together Chiyo-chan," She stated happily, as she ran a hand through Chiyo's hair. It was now down to her mid back, but Chiyo wasn't exactly sure how to properly maintain it.

 _(Hanami had used to love braiding her hair-)_

"It's hard being the only girl around here y'know," Asami pouted, as she went to take a seat at the couch. She pulled Chiyo along as she did so.

"Where's my good for nothing son?" Hiroto questioned roughly, as he brought out some tea "You'd think he'd actually want to spend some time with his old man,"

Asami just rolled her eyes at that and took the tea gratefully.

"You know he's busy at the hospital," Asami replied, as a sheepish look came over her face. "I _should_ be at the bakery, but Suzu said she'd take over for the day,"

Hiroto snorted and shook his head.

"That girl should be in charge with the way you make her do everything,"

"Not everything," Asami defended, as she took a sip of her tea. "Besides, she loves working finance. I'm awful at it,"

Chiyo listened to the conversation half-heartedly, as she too chugged down her tea.

"I'm only in it for the baking," Asami replied smoothly "Everything else can go to hell. I don't understand why there has to be so much business involved,"

"Because you're _running_ a business-"

"Details, details," Asami stated as she waved her hand. Hiroto just sighed, as he went to pick up their finished teacups. Asami then chose to look down at Chiyo once more.

"What do you wanna be when you grow up Chiyo-chan? Wanna join me at the bakery? Be a model?" Asami questioned as she grinned cheekily.

 _("Do you have any dreams?")_

Chiyo shook her head sadly.

"I… I don't… really have any dreams. I don't know what I'm going to be," She stated as she hung her head. Asami gushed and pulled her in for a hug, Chiyo returned it almost as if it was second nature.

 _(She really_ _ **really**_ _liked hugs-)_

"It's okay Chiyo-chan! I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life until I graduated high school. You'll figure it out someday,"

"Hopefully she's more put together than you are when she gets to that point," Hiroto snarked as he walked into the kitchen. Asami just grinned at Hiroto's retreating back.

"You… you're Hiroto's daughter-in-law?" The girl questioned innocently. Asami's cheeks flamed, as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Y-yeah," The woman replied avoiding Chiyo's line of sight. A shy smile made it onto her face. "I'm lucky,"

Chiyo nodded her head, as she saw how happy the mention of Asami's husband had made her.

 _(I wonder if I'll ever get something like that-)_

"You'll understand what I'm talking about one day, Chiyo-chan," Asami stated happily, as she patted the top of Chiyo's head. "I'm sure all the boys will be fighting over you, once the time comes,"

Chiyo nodded her head once more in reply but didn't say anything else. Asami stared at her for a moment, before jumping up.

"I know! I can take you shopping. We could buy you some cute new clothes,". Asami's amber eyes crinkled "It'll be a great bonding activity,"

Chiyo froze and shook her head immediately voicing her displeasure.

 _(Everything was so bright-they were all moving_ _**so fast**_ _-)_

"I… I'd rather not-"

"Nonsense. You can't let that sour puss over there be your only companion-"

Almost immediately, a spoon went to hit the back of Asami's head. Hiroto stood from the kitchen doorway, donning his pink apron.

"What was that Asami-kun?" He asked sweetly. It was jarring Chiyo noted as she inched away from him. The idea of Hiroto doing anything _sweet_ made Chiyo uncomfortable. Asami just let out a nervous chuckle.

"Oh, nothing. Just saying how much of an _amazing_ person you are,"

Hiroto stared at her blankly for a few moments, before retreating back into the kitchen. Asami rubbed the back of her head.

"He never changes," She mumbled, before turning towards Chiyo. A hopeful look took center in the woman's brown eyes. "I could just… show you around town if you want? We don't have to buy new clothes,"

Chiyo was about to deny vehemently but stopped as she saw the look in Asami's eyes. The insecurities hidden beneath her confidence.

 _(I just want you to like me-)_

"I'll go," Chiyo whispered, digging her fingernails into her palm. Her wings wilted slightly but rose again when Asami gave her a cheerful hug.

"We're gonna have so much _fun_! We can go to whatever store you like!"

"Asami-san, I… I don't know any stores around here,"

"Right, right… wait don't call me that. I'm not some _grandma_. Just call me Asami,"

"... Asami then," Chiyo replied softly, testing the name out on her tongue. Asami grinned.

"We're gonna have _a lot_ of fun together," Asami stated, as she went to grab her bag "Oi! Hiroto, I'm taking Chiyo-chan out for a bit,"

Hiroto just gave a wave of his hand from the kitchen, as Asami pulled her out of the house.

* * *

The car ride was quiet on Chiyo's part. Asami tried to fill the silence with her soft humming, but Chiyo couldn't help but feel incredibly awkward.

When they finally got to the first store, she _froze_.

There were _so_ many people, Chiyo found herself unable to _function_ properly.

 _(She couldn't do this-She couldn't do this-_ _ **She couldn't do this**_ _-)_

People gave her strange looks as they passed by. They turned away, however, when Asami glared at them.

 _(They were watching her, judging her. Just like Adachi had done-)_

"Chiyo," Asami said softly, as she brought the girl closer to her. "You can't be afraid forever,"

Those words made something inside of Chiyo rage.

 _(What do you know about what I've been through?_ _**How dare you**_ _? What do you think gives you the right-)_

She felt a wet moisture make its way down her cheeks, as she started to tremble. Asami tightened her hold around her.

"It's alright to show emotion _Chiyo_. It's alright to show how you _feel_ -"

"I _know_ that!" Chiyo let out with a hiccup, as she rubbed her nose. "I know that it's just… I can't-"

"Take a deep breath," Asami instructed, as she rubbed soothing circles onto Chiyo's back. "We have time,"

"I'm scared," Chiyo admitted as she tried to cover her face. "I'm scared _all the time_ , and I don't know what to do,"

 _(She was being held down-cut open-green eyes stared at her menacingly-)_

"I don't… it's… the _same thing_ every day and I'm sick of it," Chiyo sputtered, as Asami directed her to the sitting area. The redhead brought out a handkerchief and wiped Chiyo's nose with it. Chiyo thanked her as she rubbed at her eyes.

"Chiyo-chan…have you talked to anyone? A … a therapist possibly?" Asami brought forth as she stroked Chiyo's hair.

"I… I'm not _weak_. I can handle this,"

"Seeing a therapist doesn't mean you're _weak_. It just means… you've been strong for too long," Asami replied firmly, her eyes softening. "Even though we just met… I can already tell you're an incredibly strong person,"

 _(I think you're really cool Chiyo-chan-)_

"I know places like these can be a bit overwhelming at times," Asami said, a smidgen of guilt appearing on her face "I shouldn't have taken you here to start off. But, I just thought that _maybe_ it could help you,"

Chiyo remained silent and just continued to dot at her eyes as the woman went on.

"I… I can't even begin to imagine what you and those other children went through," Asami said softly, her usually vibrant eyes dimming. "I'm… I'm sorry you had to see how bad the world can be from such a young age,"

Chiyo didn't reply to that, but she did lean in closer to Asami's side.

"If you don't want to talk to a therapist," Asami started off once more, her amber eyes engulfed with… with _pity_.

 _(I don't want your pity, stop-)_

"You could always talk to _me_ if you want. I know I may not be the best choice, but I'm a good listener y'know? I'm here if you need me,"

"You're fine," Chiyo sniffled, as she blew out her nose. _So embarrassing_. "T-thank you. For listening,"

Asami just winked and ruffled her hair once more.

"Hey, don't worry about it! You're family now aren't you?"

 _She was their family…_

She didn't quite know how to respond to that.

Her past life was no better than a blur to her. Anything that happened before the lab, and during the lab she had tried to subconsciously block out. Family, if she had ever _had_ any during that life, was a complete and utter mystery to her.

In this life, she had only had her mother. A mother she hadn't been able to properly speak to for the longest time. A mother who…

 _(A mother who she had_ _ **abandoned**_ _-)_

"Breathe," Asami commanded. Chiyo's bottom lip wobbled, as she raised her gaze to meet Asami's.

 _(She had always made fun of Toga for crying. But that was all she_ _**did**_ _nowadays-)_

"It's alright to cry Chiyo-chan. It doesn't mean you're weak, it just means you've been strong for too long,"

( _Strong for too long-)_

She was so _tired_ of it.

She leaned into Asami's side, as she let out the rest of her tears.

* * *

After she forcibly got herself together( _Too many people had stopped to ask if she was ok. It was_ _ **embarrassing**_ _.)_ Chiyo and Asami went onwards with their shopping trip.

She mostly followed Asami's lead as they stopped by numerous shops. She couldn't really find anything that she _liked_.

She was however fascinated by the different altercations that had been done to specific outfits. Fashion designers now had to take into account the different body types each individual had due to the reveal of quirks.

They had compensated for tails, wings(her own wings twitched happily at that), and even multiple limbs. Chiyo had never seen so many different types of clothing.

Even though all the clothing looked nice, she still couldn't find the right type of clothing for her. Asami chuckled at the frustrated look on Chiyo's face, before thrusting something into the younger girl's hands. Chiyo looked down at them curiously.

"You're always squinting I noticed. I thought your eyes might be sensitive to light," Asami relayed happily "I thought… that these might help,"

In Chiyo's hands were a pair of dark sunglasses. She looked down at them wordlessly for a moment, as Asami started to shift nervously.

"You don't have to wear them. I just thought-"

Chiyo cut off Asami's rambling with a tight hug around the older woman's hip. Asami returned it with a sigh.

"I was worried you'd hate them,"

"No," Chiyo replied immediately "They're perfect. Thank you,"

Asami just beamed and held her hand out. Chiyo grabbed it and fell into step easily enough, she slipped her sunglasses on.

Almost instantly, she felt relief flood her senses. She had gotten used to the slight burning in her eyes.

They continued to walk through numerous shops with Chiyo coming up short each and every time.

She just… she didn't know what was needed to have a decent wardrobe. For the longest time, all she had worn was rags and hospital gowns. She didn't know what was deemed fashionable.

Eventually, she sighed and looked towards Asami.

"I… I really don't know what to pick," Chiyo stated sadly "Could you just pick it for me?"

She was met with an immediate no.

"Things like these are important Chiyo-chan," The redhead reprimanded, mock-sternly "I'm not the one that's going to be wearing the clothes now am I? You have to decide for yourself,"

Chiyo sighed and just looked at the rest of the stores balefully. Asami eventually took pity on her.

"Chiyo-chan, what's your style? What type of clothes do you like?" Asami stated before looking off to the side guiltily "I guess I've only been taking you to stores I thought were cute,"

Chiyo just squeezed her hand, a silent _it's okay_ rang between them. Asami nodded her head at that before questioning Chiyo once more.

"Like… what's your favorite color?"

"Red," Chiyo had said immediately before blushing slightly. Asami just laughed.

"Any other colors?"

Chiyo hummed softly as she mulled over the question once more.

"Darker colors are nice I guess," Chiyo mumbled as she dug her fingernails into her palm. Asami saw the action and immediately unclenched them. "I like black,"

"Then let's start there! What about this store?" Asami questioned as she pointed at a much smaller store than the ones they had previously visited. Even though the store was smaller, the different items the store held immediately caught Chiyo's eye. She let go of Asami's hand and walked into the store hurriedly.

This, Chiyo thought as she carefully touched the different clothing items, this was what she had been looking for.

The clothing in this store had a much darker feel to it, Chiyo realized. It was drawing her in closer and closer.

Chiyo looked up at Asami through her sunglasses, and for the first time in a long while… she _smiled_.

Asami looked taken aback at the notion and dropped her purse. She continued to stare at Chiyo for a moment, before going to gather her fallen belongings.

"Asami," Chiyo stated happily(When had she ever done anything happily?) "Can we buy the clothing here? I really like this skirt!"

She felt giddy, as she held up a red and black checkered skirt. She felt… as if she was finally taking control.

(When had she ever been able to choose anything that she actually liked? It was always for other people-)

Asami beamed back at her once more.

"Whatever you want Chiyo-chan. Don't worry about the money, pick out the whole store if you want!"

Chiyo beamed back as she went to go deeper and deeper into the shop.

* * *

Chiyo skipped beside Asami, as she sported her new outfit. Black knee length boots, black leggings, the red and black checkered skirt, and a black t-shirt with the words _Heavy Metal_ placed in the middle.

She knew it was stupid to get worked up over a pair of clothes, but they made her feel _free_.

She vaguely thought about the type of clothing Hanami and Toga would have chosen.

Hanami would have gone for something pink Chiyo thought as she perused over the other items they bought, maybe a few red items. Toga… Toga would've probably run around naked if she had the choice. Hanami would probably end up picking clothes for her as well.

Hanami had always been the responsible one, doing whatever she could to look after the both of them. Even if Chiyo hadn't realized it at the time, Chiyo realized that Hanami's intervention had saved her at multiple turns.

She looked down at her boots for a moment before slapping her cheeks abruptly. Asami looked towards her in alarm.

"Are you ok?'

Chiyo nodded her head slowly _(Stop making people uncomfortable- stop being so moody-_ _ **smile**_ _dammit-)_ and just tightened her hold on the older woman's hand.

"Never better," Chiyo replied, before freezing in her tracks. She let go of Asami's hand and walked into a large store that housed multiple stuffed animals. A white fluffy rabbit caught her eye.

 _("Don't worry about it, we'll get out of here soon-")_

She groaned and placed her head in her hands for a moment. Her head was throbbing. She looked at the rabbit once more and picked it up. She felt Asami sidle up behind her.

 _("I love you Chiyo-chan-")_

"Could we buy this please?" Chiyo questioned as she stroked the rabbit. "I… I used to have one like this,"

"Of course!" Asami said almost immediately, amber eyes shining. "Anything else you want-"

"No," Chiyo said softly as she hugged the rabbit closer to her. "This is fine,"

The redhead was silent at that and just nodded her head as she went to pay for the item.

Chiyo breathed in the rabbit's scent and continued to hold it close to her.

 _("It felt warm and safe. A time when she was happy-")_

Chiyo smiled.

* * *

Dinner that night was… nice.

Hiroto and Chiyo were quiet by nature, but Asami always had something to say. She filled the silence with her cheerful banter.

Chiyo chewed her food slowly, as she pushed her bangs out of her face. Her hair was getting much too long, and she had no idea what to do with it.

She gulped down her food and peeked up at Asami.

"Asami," Chiyo started off slowly. "Could you… could you cut my hair? Please?"

Chiyo swore there were stars in the older woman's eyes.

"Yes! I thought you'd _never_ ask. Not saying there's anything _wrong_ with your hair, but it's _suuuper_ long-"

Chiyo tuned the elder woman out, as she thought about what hairstyle she would want.

She wanted something expressive, something free and _wild_. Something that was the complete opposite of how she was now.

She blew her bangs out of her face and put her hair behind her ears. She definitely wanted something short. Something that was easier to manage.

Asami placed a hand on top of Chiyo's head, and for once… Chiyo found herself not flinching at the contact.

"I have just the perfect style for you," Asami whispered as she winked. "You're going to look great,"

They went on discussing hairstyles for the next couple minutes before Hiroto eventually interrupted.

"I'm assuming he's not coming," The man asked as he went to clear the table. One plate had remained noticeably untouched.

Asami sighed and shook her head.

"It's not you Hiroto. It's just… you know how seriously he takes his job," Asami said as she helped to clean Chiyo's mouth. Spending all that time in the lab hadn't exactly given her proper dinner etiquette skills.

Hiroto just scoffed and shook his head as he went into the kitchen. It was hard to ignore the slight glimmer of hurt in his usually clear eyes. Asami sighed and put her head on the table with a groan.

"Is… Is your husband not coming?" Chiyo questioned as she hesitantly patted Asami's head. The redhead just shrugged.

"Who even knows," She said somewhat bitterly. Much different from the bubbly persona she had displayed throughout the day. "Don't worry about it Chiyo-chan. You'll be able to meet him some other time-"

At that moment, the front door swung open.

"I am _so sorry_ I'm late," A somewhat low voice blurted out. Chiyo froze. "There was a bus accident, and they needed more people on-"

Clear eyes that were identical to Hiroto's _(She knew she had seen those eyes before)_ stared down at her in shock.

"Chiyo-chan?" Akito questioned as he took his jacket off. His eyes widening. "I didn't know you were the- how have you been?"

Chiyo just continued to stare at him. She blocked out all other disturbances and drank in his presence.

 _(She knew that kid had looked familiar. She just knew it-)_

The smile Akito gave her was blinding as Asami looked between them.

"Eh? You guys already know each other?" Asami questioned as she got up to walk towards Akito. The height difference was rather comical Chiyo noted, as she continued to stare at Akito. Asami was a good foot shorter than him. Asami pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and pinned a stern glare on his person.

"You hurt Hiroto's feelings-"

"Not like it's my fault," Akito interrupted, before cowering under his wife's gaze. "Look… I know I said I'd be here earlier, but a lot of things came up. I'll make it up to him later kay?" Akito gave Asami one last hug before turning towards Chiyo. He held his arms out towards her and gave her an easy smile.

"Not even a hug Chiyo-chan?"

Chiyo didn't need to be told twice and rushed towards the elder man. Her right wing knocking the chair over.

"I missed you," Chiyo whispered, as she tightened her hold on him. Akito just hummed.

"Missed you too,"

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki _chapter 7! Not a lot happened plot-wise, but we had a lot of character interactions and some growth on Chiyo's part. I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I'll try my best to update some of my other stories. School's starting up again _(this summer went by way too fast)_ so I don't know if I'll be able to update as much when that happens. Next chapter will deal with a time skip, so be prepared for that. We'll also be getting our first canon character _(other than Toga of course)_ appearing next chapter. I addressed this in an earlier chapter, but this fanfic will follow the manga. I just want to address some things before that happens.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What canon characters do you think Chiyo will meet next chapter?

What do you think of Chiyo's character so far? _(I know I asked this in an earlier chapter, but I like to see if people's opinions have changed)_

 _P.S. I love reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one and tell me what you think! I'll try and update one more chapter of this before I go back to school._

 _P.P.S. In case you're interested, Chiyo's clothing style is very punk rock. Just in case you want a better visual of some of the clothes she'll be wearing._

 _P.P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Warning: Read the AN at the end.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _She had a stern look about her, Chiyo noticed, as she took the seat across from her. Hiroto was waiting outside._

 _Umeko was the woman's name, Chiyo had been told. Dark eyes stared down at the folder in front of her heatedly. Her black hair styled into a haircut similar to Chiyo's own._

 _Chiyo could tell that this was a woman that had lived. A woman that had seen things, experienced things. She had multiple piercings on her ears, and Chiyo touched her own ears in envy._

 _She was so… confident. From the way she sat, to the way she breathed. Chiyo wanted to be like her._

 _Umeko finally sat the folder down and set her eyes on Chiyo. Chiyo struggled to keep her gaze._

 _The grin Umeko gave her was feral._

" _Now, Chiyo-chan," The woman drawled, absentmindedly running a hand through her boyishly short hair. "Let's begin, shall we?"_

* * *

Her instructor droned on, as Chiyo bounced on the balls of her feet. Gymnastics had served as a form of release for her in the past years.

Other than flying, performing multiple flips and handstands created a sense of euphoria that Chiyo hadn't felt in a long while. It made her feel free, and anything that gave her that feeling was worth putting her all into.

 _(She refused to be caged again-)_

Her instructor Takada-san was currently going on about an upcoming competition. The other girls were giving her their complete attention, and Chiyo _tried_ to pay attention _really_ she did! But she couldn't help but be concerned with other things.

For starters, there was a lipstick stain on the front of Takada's teeth. Chiyo found she _couldn't_ look away from it.

Takada eventually noticed Chiyo's scrutiny, and let out a sigh.

"What seems to be the problem Koumori?"

Chiyo bristled at being addressed, and just shook her head.

"N-nothing sensei! Just in awe of how pretty you look today," Chiyo placated, pasting a cheerful smile on her face. Takada just stared at her with an unimpressed look on her face.

"Thank you for that Koumori. Now… why don't you give me 20 laps around the gym? Maybe that'll help get your mind focused on _gymnastics_ , instead of my looks,"

Chiyo let out a sigh. 20 laps weren't bad, she had done worse-

"I want those laps done on your hands by the way," Takada broke in. "You need to work on your upper body strength,"

"Yes Sensei," Chiyo replied dejectedly, as she got started on her laps. One of the girls-Fuuka- snorted at Chiyo's misfortune, and Chiyo made sure to bump her on her way to start her laps.

"That's 25 laps now Koumori! You can join her too Uwami!" Takada barked as she turned to the other girls. Fuuka sighed and got down to join Chiyo.

They did their laps in silence at first, before Fuuka turned to glare at her.

"This is all your fault," She hissed, making sure to bump into Chiyo's shoulder. The red-eyed girl glared at her, before making sure to look forward.

"No one told you to laugh Uwami _-san_. Maybe if you were a bit more mature, you'd be up there with the other girls," Chiyo sneered, her wings bristling on her back. She made sure to hold them together so they wouldn't get in the way.

"If you weren't such a weirdo, we'd both be up there with the other girls. Why did you keep looking up at her anyway?"

"She had lipstick on her teeth! I could not have been the only one to see that!" Chiyo hissed before realizing exactly what the older girl said. "And I am not a weirdo!"

"You're the definition of weird," Fuuka hissed, before looking at Chiyo's back. "How the hell are you not tired yet? Don't those wings add extra weight or something?"

"They do," Chiyo admitted, before giving Fuuka a haughty look. "I guess I'm just stronger than you are. Everyone in this class is, to be honest,"

Fuuka growled as Chiyo sped up to get away from the older girl.

Ever since she had started coming here, Fuuka had harbored a personal vendetta against Chiyo. Everyone in the class did.

Due to her quirk, gymnastics had come easily to her. She could bend her body with relative ease in whichever direction. Moves that would take others months to learn, Chiyo had mastered in only days.

It was safe to say she didn't have many friends in the class due to that fact.

It bothered her at first, but not for long.

Hiroto had told her that if their egos were that fragile, she didn't need them as friends anyway. Real friends would be happy to see you succeed. Happy to see you show some progress.

Real friends… Chiyo truly didn't have many of those.

Masago, Akane, Kino, Saburo, Yasuo, and Masaru were more like family to her. Overprotective siblings that she knew she could always count on. They had all gone through something together that no one else could understand.

It had been about five years since they had escaped from the lab, and they had all changed drastically.

Yasuo was already at university, and Masago and Masaru were well on their way of following in his footsteps.

Akane… she still wasn't sure about what she wanted to do. But she did help out at Asami's bakery whenever she didn't have school.

Saburo and Kino, on the other hand, were both doing internships in preparation for college.

They all met up once every two weeks and texted frequently. It helped Chiyo to never forget, and it motivated her to always give things her all.

 _(Children died. There are people that would have loved to be in your positions)_

With a smile firmly in place, she finished her laps with ease. With a flip that made Takada-san nod her head in pride, Chiyo landed back on her feet.

The other girls scoffed as they went to complete their stretches. Like always Chiyo ignored them.

Chiyo sighed and fluttered her wings slightly to get the pins and needles feeling out of them. They always got a bit stiff whenever she folded them behind her back.

Raising her hands slowly, she carefully went down into a split. After holding it for about two minutes, she raised herself up from the ground and switched the position of her legs.

Takada praised her form, as she went to look at the other girls. Chiyo preened at that and tried to ignore the whisperings around her.

" _She thinks she's so great-"_

" _Showoff-"_

" _I'd love to knock her down a few pegs-"_

There were times when Chiyo really hated how advanced her hearing was. She could do without hearing about how much other people hated her for a day.

Eventually, Takada called them over to the balance beam.

"I want you all to go over your routines once more," Takada stated as she pulled out a notepad "The competitions two weeks away from now, we need to improve on what we can,"

The girls nodded at that, and Chiyo slapped her hands against her cheeks.

She could do this. She wouldn't mess up. She would ace the routine.

She kept this mentality in her head as the other members of the class went on.

Eventually, Takada looked towards her. The older woman patted her on the back.

"Knock em dead Koumori," She ordered, as she moved out of Chiyo's way. The grey-skinned girl just grinned.

"Do you even need to ask Sensei?"

* * *

Okay… she did have _some_ real friends.

Chiyo slurped her smoothie aggressively, as her companion desperately worked to ignore her. Chiyo pulled her sunglasses down and pinned them with a look.

"Y'know… Shin-chan," Chiyo drawled as purple eyes gazed at her disinterestedly. "Most people would ask what's wrong,"

Her friend _(one of her only friends honestly)_ just stared at her.

"I think we've established that neither of us is most people. Sides, I already know whats wrong,"

"Oh really? I didn't know mindreading was a part of your quirk?"

"I don't need to be a mindreader to know it has to do with your gymnastics class. You're always in a bad mood afterward,"

"Yeah, I guess… they're just so childish!" Chiyo let out as she threw her empty cup into the trash can. "I love gymnastics, you _know_ that! But the other girls just ruin it," Chiyo turned a hopeful eye towards him "C'mon Shinsou. Why don't you join gymnastics? It might help you get into that _stupid_ hero school-"

Shinsou just stared at her with an unimpressed look on his face, as he slowly slurped his own smoothie.

"Thanks but no thanks-"

"Are you worried that you'll be the only boy in the class? If so, don't worry about it. Sensei doesn't discriminate,"

Shinsou slurped his smoothie some more, and carefully placed it into the trash can.

"I'd rather not be in a class where people attempt to break other's limbs," Shinsou said carefully, as he finally looked towards Chiyo.

"That was only one time. Yuri went a bit too far, but gymnastics _can_ be really cutthroat at times-"

"And didn't you say you wanted to come to UA with me too?" Shinsou interrupted, looking off to the side. Chiyo scowled.

"Only for general studies," Chiyo amended, before giving Shinsou a stink eye. "I don't understand why you wanna be a stupid _hero_ -"

"I want to prove them wrong," Shinsou interrupted softly "I want to show that I can save people too, even with this quirk,"

Chiyo grew silent at that, before sighing quite loudly. She flicked Shinsou on the ear, causing him to hiss slightly.

"What was _that_ for-"

"That's your problem Shin-chan," Chiyo replied softly. "You care too much about what other people think. You wanna be a dumb, self-entitled, only look out for themselves _hero_? Fine. But do it for yourself,"

She watched the birds fly by, as Shinsou mulled over what she said. She found herself wanting to join them.

 _(She wanted to be free-)_

Shinsou nodded, before pinning her with a deadpan stare.

"I never took you to be a motivational speaker. You must really be having an off day,"

"That sass is exactly why I'm one of your only friends,"

* * *

 _She had been ten years old when she met Hitoshi Shinsou for the first time. It hadn't exactly been a good meeting._

 _She had been playing on the swing sets (by herself, because no one wanted to play with her) when she saw a kid that couldn't have been a few inches taller than she was, getting ganged up on._

 _The ringleader cracked his knuckles and gave Shinsou what was supposed to be an intimidating gaze. Shinsou just stared back nonplussed._

" _For the last time," Shinsou drawled. It had been impressive for a kid Chiyo noted. "I didn't use my quirk on you. Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe you're just slow?"_

 _The ringleader growled, as his friends tried to calm him down._

" _I know you did, you-you villain! I always win this game,"_

" _Only because your friends let you win-"_

 _The ringleader shoved Shinsou to the ground, and Chiyo found herself in front of the purple haired boy in an instant._

 _The ringleader glared down at her, and Chiyo just gazed back blankly._

" _What do you want little girl?" The boy sneered as if it were a curse. Chiyo sighed._

" _I want you to leave him alone," She replied softly. The ringleader just scoffed, and swatted Chiyo out of the way, as if she were nothing but a mere fly._

" _Go play with your dolls. I have business with him-"_

 _Chiyo opened her mouth and sunk her fangs into the boy's forearm. The cry he let out was pitiful._

 _He tried to shake her off, but Chiyo didn't relent. Eventually, when she deemed he had enough, she let go._

 _He punched her in the face the moment she did, however._

 _Chiyo didn't cry out. That pain was nothing compared to some of the other things she had experienced. She just continued to gaze at the boy blankly._

" _That's it. Both of you are gonna-"_

" _Is that your mom?" Shinsou questioned softly. The older boy froze, as a woman walked with multiple groceries in her hand. She waved at the ringleader and his friends as she walked into one of the apartment complexes._

" _Hmm… I wonder what she'd think of you beating up a defenseless young girl? I don't think she'd be very happy-"_

" _Shut up," The boy hissed, taking furtive glances behind him. "Look I'll let you off with a warning-"_

 _Chiyo bared her teeth, and the boy flinched instinctively._

" _Leave," She had ordered softly. "You're annoying,"_

 _The boy glared down at Chiyo, before looking at his friends and beckoning them to follow him. Once they were all out of the playground, Chiyo dropped to her knees._

" _Gross, he tasted awful-"_

" _Why'd you do that?" Shinsou asked tensely. "I could have handled it,"_

" _You sure have a weird way of saying thank you," Chiyo stated firmly. "Besides I couldn't just stand by and let you get your ass kicked,"_

" _I wouldn't have-"_

" _Yes, you would have. You seem smart, but you don't look like much of a fighter," Chiyo replied as she dusted herself off. She looked towards him and nodded her head._

" _Well, I'm gonna go back to the swingset. Nice meeting you, I guess-"_

" _Do you really think I could be a villain?" Shinsou questioned softly, as he kicked at some tiny pebbles._

 _Chiyo sighed as she beckoned the kid to follow her to the wing sets._

" _Look… I don't even know you. Who am I to say what you'll become?"_

 _Shinsou just nodded sadly at that. Chiyo resisted the urge to give him a hug._

" _If it's any consolation," Chiyo started off. "You did kind of save me back there. If you hadn't brought up his mom, who knows what would've happened,"_

" _ **You**_ _would've gotten your ass kicked-"_

" _Language," Chiyo reprimanded. Shinsou stared at her in surprise._

" _You just said it,"_

" _When you get to my age you're allowed to curse," Chiyo replied, as she rubbed at her nose. "It's a fact,"_

" _No, it's not. You're the same age as me!"_

" _I'm a lot older. I just look young,"_

 _Shinsou sighed in exasperation, as he started to swing back and forth. Chiyo's eyes widened before she grinned impishly._

" _Hey what's your name?"_

" _... Shinsou. Hitoshi SHinsou,"_

" _I'm Chiyo. Due to the fact you're sitting here alone, I assume you don't have any friends?"_

" _... You'd be correct,"_

" _Well… I'm homeschooled. So I don't really have any friends either,"_

" _What are you trying to say?"_

" _What I'm trying to say… is… would you like to be friends?"_

 _Shinsou had just stared at her, and Chiyo tried not to let desperation etch its way onto her face._

 _(Please say yes. I'm lonely and I know you are too-)_

" _I like your earrings," Shinsou eventually said. "They're very nice,"_

 _Chiyo's hand went up to her pointed ears, and she felt herself smile slightly. Ever since Asami had cut her hair, her ears had become much more visible. She had pierced them in hopes of finally overcoming her insecurity with them._

 _She had also done it to match her therapist, Umeko, who in her opinion was one of the most badass people she had ever had the pleasure of meeting._

" _Thanks… I'm trying to get even more soon," Shinsou's eyes bugged out at that._

" _Really? Why?"_

" _Cause I want too! Don't you think they look cool?"_

" _I guess… but I wouldn't want any,"_

" _Why not? I think they'd look nice on you,"_

 _The two of them had spent the rest of the afternoon talking. Even though Shinsou never said it outright, they became fast friends after that._

* * *

"Chiyo-chan!" A very cheery voice called out.

Chiyo sighed and ran a hand over her hair. Compared to the length it had been at years ago, it was now styled into a wavy bob that went slightly past Chiyo's ears. With blunt, wispy bangs to 'highlight her cheekbones' Asami had said.

"Mina-san," She replied cordially "Did you do well on your math test?"

Mina pouted and slung an arm around Chiyo's shoulder.

"I told you to drop the _san_ ," Mina replied before brightening "And yeah I did! I didn't get the best grade, but I passed at least! You're a real lifesaver,"

Chiyo nodded and pushed her sunglasses onto her face.

"Why do you always wear those sunglasses? You have such a nice face," Mina questioned as she continued to walk next to Chiyo.

"I have sensitive eyes," Chiyo replied, as she turned the corner. Mina followed suit, and Chiyo stared at her exasperatedly.

"Look… Mina-chin," Chiyo settled on. The pinkette brightened. "I have to help out at my sister's bakery. Was there anything you needed?"

"Everyone's so busy! Rin has to help out her dad, Akemi has to watch her siblings. I'm so bored!"

"Have you thought about getting a job Mina...-chin?"

"Nowhere's hiring!" Mina replied as she pulled at her hair. "Sides, we're only in middle school! I don't wanna worry about work yet!"

Chiyo just nodded as she finally made her way to the bakery. Akane greeted her with a smile.

"Hiya, Chiyo-chan! Who's your friend?" She questioned as she wrapped up an order for one of the customers. "You usually only bring Shin-chan,"

"She's not my-"

"Mina Ashido, at your service!" Mina interrupted happily. Her mouth watered slightly as she looked at some of the pastries on display. "Hey, Chiyo chan, how much is that?"

"A lot of money-"

"It's on the house," Akane said through gritted teeth giving Chiyo a look. "We can't have Chiyo's friends paying for the first thing they buy now, can we?"

Mina jumped in excitement at that, as Chiyo just shook her head.

Chiyo quickly changed into her uniform and went to stand at the register. Akane gave her a look of gratitude, as she went to take her break.

Chiyo stood at the register, and forced sweet smiles onto her face to greet her customers. Mina gave her a look.

"You're so different now Chiyo-chan. It's scary how nice you're being,"

"Whatever do you mean, Mina-chin? I'm always nice,"

"Sure, sure,"

Chiyo grew silent at that, as she waited for other customers to enter. Mina filled the silence, however.

"Hey, hey, Chiyo-chan? Y'know that guy, Ishida. The third year?"

"Yeah. What about him?"

"He's going to UA! Isn't that cool?"

Chiyo scowled and fiddled with her multiple piercings.

"He wants to be a hero, doesn't he?" Chiyo asked venomously. "Good luck to him, I guess,"

"Didn't you wanna go to UA too?"

"Only for general studies. I have no intention of being a hero,"

Mina hummed, as her eyes brightened slightly.

"I'm going to be a hero," Mina said happily. Chiyo's frown deepened.

 _(Hero this-Hero that. Why was everyone so goddamn obsessed with heroes!?)_

"Heroes are stupid," Chiyo hissed, surprising herself a bit. "Being a damsel. Waiting for someone else to come save you is _pathetic_. I'd much rather save myself,"

Mina stared at Chiyo, her yellow irises seemed to look right through her.

"Maybe… but sometimes people _can't_ save themselves. No matter how much they try," Mina replied softly. "When that happens… I'll be there," She gave Chiyo a smile.

"To save people… give them hope. Isn't that kinda cool?"

Chiyo stared at Mina for a moment, before sighing.

"Whatever. Hurry up and eat your cake before I charge you,"

" _Chiyo-chan!"_

* * *

Chiyo sighed as she took off her shoes, and went inside the house.

The sight of red feathers made her freeze in her tracks, however.

She dug her fingernails into her palms, drawing blood.

"Hiroto!' She screeched. The elderly man walked out in his signature pink apron, as he massaged his ears.

"You've been spending too much time with Asami," he replied as he held out a platter of cookies, urging her to take one. "How was school-"

"He was here, wasn't he?" Chiyo questioned as she nibbled on a cookie. "That stupid bird-brain-"

"Calm down Chiyo," Hiroto ordered softly. "You may not like him, but he is my nephew. You have to try and be cordial with him-"

"When he loses his ego than maybe I'll try to be nicer to him," Chiyo hissed. "I'm not surprised he's a hero. That stupid, egotistical, annoying-"

"Chiyo," Hiroto ordered once more, and there was a stern undertone to his words this time. Chiyo looked down in shame.

"Sorry," She eventually mumbled, as she shoveled some more cookies into her mouth. "I've just had a really long day. Plus he annoys me,"

The first time she had met Hiroto's nephew, she had been incredibly kind to him. All the way up to the moment he practically attacked her with his feathers.

 _(He had said that he was joking. But the shit eating grin he had on his face didn't do much to endear him to her)_

Hiroto sighed in exasperation.

"I know you have a… a vendetta against heroes," Hiroto stated as he went to rearrange Chiyo's shoes. "But please do try and give him a chance. He's a good kid-"

"Only when you're around-"

"And once you both get over your egos," Hiroto amended, "I think you guys would find that you have a lot in common,"

"Me… have something in common with that hero-wannabe?"

"He's not some wannabe Chiyo. He's already in the top ten, and he's worked hard to get where he is. You don't have a problem with Shinsou-kun becoming a hero," Chiyo scoffed and shook her head. She did have a problem with Shinsou being a hero, but he was her best friend so she did her best to support him. Her wings flared as she saw yet another red feather.

"I swear he leaves these here to annoy me! How many feathers does he shed in a day?"

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 8! We had a bit of a time skip this chapter and the introduction of a few canon characters. Here's the timeline of things. Chiyo was physically five at the beginning of the story, seven when she left the lab, and eight in the last chapter. There was a five-year time skip, so Chiyo's changed quite a bit in that time. She's had therapy, and she's started opening up a bit. Right now, Chiyo is about to start her third year of middle school. She goes to the same middle school as Mina and Kirishima and is somewhat friends with Mina. Kirishima will appear soon enough, however. She's also really good friends with Shinsou. They don't live in the same neighborhood and therefore don't go to the same middle school. Even so, they're pretty tight. Two canon characters were shown in this chapter, and one was only mentioned. I think I made it pretty obvious as to who the mention is. Chiyo may hate heroes now, but her mindset will change eventually. We'll also have some more canon characters appearing next chapter, so look forward to that. I want to thank all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate it.

Questions I have for you Guys:

Who do you think Hiroto's nephew is?

Do you guys think that Shinsou and Mina are in character?

Do you guys have any questions for me?

 _P.S.I love reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

Chiyo sat by her mother's bedside, as the TV droned on. Like always, their interaction was cloaked in silence.

She was eleven when she first started to visit her mother. When Nadeshiko was finally deemed suitable for visitors.

The moment Chiyo saw her, however, she felt a part of herself break.

Her mother, someone that had always been able to grant her a smile, was a shell of her former self.

She stared down at her hands motionless and didn't even respond when Chiyo went in to give her a hug.

Even if she was here physically, she knew the Nadeshiko of before was gone. The beautiful woman that had loved to sing and draw was gone. She would possibly never return.

Chiyo tried not to cry at that.

The TV went on, as Chiyo just sat by her mother's bedside.

She flipped through the channels and stopped when the sight of blood caught her eye.

There was a hostage situation. Twenty people were being held up by some madman.

She made to change the channel, but Nadeshiko placed her hand over Chiyo's. She flinched at the contact and looked at her mother in surprise. Nadeshiko just kept looking at the TV, however.

Chiyo placed the remote down and looked to see if her mother would show any more indication of emotion.

"Mama," Chiyo started off slowly "Do you remember who I am? I'm your _daughter_ , Chiyo. You said you named me that because I was an old soul, and that I'd be around for a long time,"

Nadeshiko remained silent for a moment, before shaking her head. She took her hand off of Chiyo.

"Mama, _please_! I'm your _daughter_! I know you remember," Chiyo said hysterically, grasping Nadeshiko's hands in her own. "You always said never to let anyone break you, I _know_ you're in there somewhere. I _know_ you,"

Nadeshiko shook Chiyo off, the most physical contact she had shown in _months_.

Chiyo eventually gave up and sat back down in her seat. She wiped at her eyes hurriedly.

" _This is a tribute to the great hero, Ingenium-"_

Chiyo snarled as she went to search for the TV remote. Her mother just kept watching the TV nonplussed.

 _(Even her mother had fallen prey to the stupid hero society-)_

Chiyo sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She forced a smile onto her face as she picked up the remote and turned the TV off once and for all.

"Mama? I'm gonna take you out for a walk ok? Let's get you in your chair," She placated as she put her sunglasses on. Like always, Nadeshiko didn't answer.

Chiyo tried to ignore the slight burning in her throat, as she rolled Nadeshiko out of her hospital room.

She wouldn't let her mother, or what was left of her mother, get infected by the hero society as well.

* * *

With the doctor's permission, Chiyo rolled Nadeshiko out of her hospital room and into the hospital courtyard.

The courtyard was beautiful. With multiple plants, and tiny creatures such as butterflies taking refuge inside of it.

Now, on any normal day, Chiyo would have just rolled her mother around the courtyard and not say a word. But today wasn't a normal day.

Even though her mother was still mute, this was the first time Nadeshiko had shown emotion of any sort. She wasn't naive enough to think that Nadeshiko was coming back to her, but it was progressing at least. As long as her mother progressed, that was all that mattered.

Chiyo continued to try and engage her mother, taking time to show her all the different flowers, and insects.

Nadeshiko just stared straight ahead of her.

Chiyo felt something in her stomach drop, as she finally grew silent once more. She was just so tired.

She rolled her mother in silence until a flash of pure white hair caught her attention. Chiyo placed a tiny smile onto her face.

"Rei-san! How was your day?" Chiyo questioned as she walked up to the older woman. Rei smiled softly back at her.

"Hello, Chiyo," The woman greeted before looking down towards Nadeshiko. "Hello, Nadeshiko-san,"

Chiyo grinned as she fell into step with the white-haired woman.

"We made some progress today," Chiyo relayed happily. "She's not talking yet, but she actually showed some reaction to me,"

Rei nodded her head softly, as Chiyo continued to tell her about her mother's small victories.

"She patted my hand-" _Only to stop me from changing the channel_ "And she actually wrapped her arms around me!" _She shook me off of her, actually._

Rei nodded and gave Chiyo a small smile.

"That's great Chiyo-chan. I'm sure she'll make even more progress soon," Rei responded, as she stopped to smell the roses.

Chiyo never quite understood why Rei was there. The woman seemed very put together for the most part. Sure she spaced out at times, but _everyone_ did. It didn't warrant being in a mental institution.

When she had asked the woman about it, a dark shadow had crossed over her beautiful face.

" _I did something unforgivable,"_ She had whispered, as something crossed over her eyes. Something Chiyo was familiar with. " _This is my punishment,"_

 _(Regret, loneliness, disgust. Chiyo felt herself connect to the woman. Just what had she done that could've been so horrible-)_

She knew the older woman had some demons she needed to face, so she never brought up the question again. Due to the fact that she didn't have any family members visiting her, Chiyo resolved to be extra cheerful around the woman as well.

Rei reminded Chiyo of the way Nadeshiko had used to be. Before Adachi and the lab.

Such a kind woman didn't deserve to experience such loneliness.

* * *

The moment Chiyo walked into the bakery, she was immediately ambushed by a mess of red hair. Chiyo sighed, and swung the culprit up in the air, causing them to giggle softly.

"Hinata, you're growing way too fast," Chiyo said wistfully "Pretty soon I won't be able to carry you like this," The boy's eyes grew wide at that, as he hurriedly shook his head.

"No! I like it when Chi carries me," He replied as he dug his head into her shoulder. Chiyo just smiled and continued to walk to the register.

"Is Asami-nee here?" Chiyo questioned as she continued to swing Hinata around. The cerulean eyed boy just nodded.

"Mama's in the back. She's taking a nap," Hinata whispered. "I tried waking her up, but she wouldn't,"

Chiyo just sighed and shook her head. She put Hinata down on the counter and quickly changed into her work uniform.

Hinata had been born when Chiyo was only ten years old, and it had been love at first sight for the both of them.

Chiyo was the only one that could get Hinata to stop crying at times, and Hinata was the only one that could get away with hugging Chiyo as much as he pleased. They were close like that.

While Asami napped away in the back, Chiyo worked the register as usual. Suzume-Asami's partner/assistant- greeted Chiyo with a small smile, as she went to help work the kitchens.

When she had first met Suzume-Suzu- Chiyo had been worried that the older woman would possibly try and take the business from Asami. Even though she loved the redhead, she would also be the first to admit that when it came to the business side of things, Asami was a bit illiterate at times. That was where Suzu came in.

Her worries were unfounded, however. Apparently, Asami and Suzu had grown up together, the best of friends. It had always been their dream to go into business together, and when Asami's father had passed, he had left the redhead a large sum of money to help them get started. Asami was the charismatic one, that could get investors and other possible business partners hooked, and Suzu was more or less the brains of the operation.

Due to the fact that Asami had been the one to get their business license, many people saw her as the sole owner. Chiyo knew better now, however.

The two women completed each other in a way.

Their bakery, _Sinful Temptations_ , that had started off as only one tiny shop, now had quite a few shops running across the entire country. The location Chiyo was currently working on had been the first shop that they had opened.

With that thought in mind, Chiyo let a slight smile break through as she continued to work the register.

 _(People like Asami and Suzu needed to be celebrated more. Not stupid heroes that never come-)_

The door slammed open, causing Hinata to jump slightly. Chiyo's eyes narrowed at that, as she went to search for the culprit.

Angry red eyes met her own, as the culprit snarled at her. His blonde hair spiking up. Hinata just stared at him with wide eyes.

"Oi, you! How much is that for?" He questioned rudely, placing one of his feet up on the counter in a threatening manner. Chiyo's scowl deepened, as his cronies just laughed and egged him on.

"1000 yen," She replied in a calm manner, as Hinata continued to study the guy in front of her.

The guy scoffed as he looked around the bakery.

"1000 yen for this piece of shit-"

"Watch your fuckin mouth asshole!" Chiyo let out as she covered Hinata's ears. "In case you're too blind to notice there's a kid here,"

The blonde looked apoplectic. His palms sparked, and Chiyo found herself giving him the ninth degree stare down.

"If you use your quirk in the store again, I'll have no choice but to report you-"

"Are those explosives?" Hinata questioned as he moved closer to the crazy as hell blonde. "Your quirks so cool!"

"Damn right it is kid," The blonde responded cockily "Best quirk there is!"

"I haven't gotten my quirk yet," Hinata responded lowering his head a bit. "I hope it's as cool as yours though! I really want to fly! Like Chi-"

"Chi?" The asshole questioned, staring at her once again. "Huh, would you look at that? Stupid name for a stupid ass girl-"

"Chi's not stupid!" Hinata said indignantly, and at that moment her affection for the boy grew even more. "If anything… you're stupid! You meanie-"

"What was that?" The blonde stated angrily as he advanced towards Hinata "You wanna repeat-"

It was at that moment that Chiyo chose to intervene.

"I've warned you once, I'll warn you again," Chiyo started off slowly. "Maybe you're not smart enough to comprehend what I'm saying. But, if you use your quirk in the shop one more time, I'm reporting you,"

"We could step outside right now-"

Eventually one of his cronies chose to speak up.

"Hey, Bakugou-" _So that was the assholes name_ "Didn't you say you had to pick up something? Is now really the best time to get into a fight with some little defenseless girl-"

Something broke inside of Chiyo as she heard that.

Whatever self-control she had, whatever restraint that was holding her back from kicking this worthless piece of shit into the ground was gone.

She was anything but defenseless, and she was not that short.

 _(She was a solid five feet thank you very much-)_

Chiyo looked through the order sheet for the name Bakugou. A _Mitsuki Bakugou_ had ordered a double chocolate souffle. When she found it she wrapped up his order and shoved it into his hands. But, the moment she shoved it into his hands, she grabbed his wrist. Her softly, sharpened nails grazing his skin.

"What the hell are you-"

"Bakugou- _san_ ," She mocked, as she kept a firm hold on his hand. "I don't care how good your quirk is, or how good you _think_ you are. The next time you come into this shop with that stick up your ass, I will not serve you. I'll make sure nobody here serves you," With that, she let go of his hand. His palms sparked as he moved closer to her-

"And before you think of attacking me, you should know that my guardian's a police officer-" _Well, former_ "And if you lay a hand on me, I could ruin your life real quick. Got it?"

With a stare that burned, the blonde kicked the counter and slammed the door shut on his way out. Chiyo let out a sigh she didn't know she had been holding. She looked towards Hinata, who had watched the exchange silently. The boy stared up at her with stars in his eyes.

"You're so cool Chi! You really showed him,"

"Well," Chiyo started off, as she went to clean the foot mark the blonde had left behind. "I just did what anyone would've done," Chiyo stopped cleaning for a moment. "Promise me something Hinata?"

"Anything!"

"Promise me you won't be like him when you get older," Chiyo said as she ruffled his mess of red hair "I'll be really sad-"

Hinata aimed a hug at her midsection, which Chiyo returned easily.

"Nope! I won't make you sad," Hinata replied cheerily. "I'll never be like him!"

Chiyo sighed, as the back door opened. Asami walked in rubbing her eyes.

"Wuz happening?" The redhead questioned groggily as she picked Hinata up. "What I miss?"

Hinata happily relayed the previous events to his mother, as Chiyo massaged her temple. Red eyes took over her mindscape.

 _(Why was he so angry, so cocky? He's just like him-)_

Chiyo shuddered and slapped her cheeks. She refused to think about it.

 _(Green eyes stared down at her menacingly. As if she was below him-)_

" _Stop that,"_ She mentally told herself " _Nobody could be as bad as Adachi. Stop thinking about it,"_

She placed a careful smile on her face and turned to Hinata. Listening to him babble on about the previous events, and look at her in awe.

* * *

 _(He doesn't own you anymore-)_

* * *

Chiyo sat in the back of the classroom, as the teacher droned on about quadratic expressions.

She had been about eleven years old when she had told Hiroto that she had wanted to start school.

She remembered feeling sad, and hopeless. She remembered feeling as if she wasn't doing enough with her life.

Everyone else had already started school. Everyone else had been improving.

Everyone… except her.

Sure she had become more open, but she still hadn't been able to handle large crowds of people. Or even talk in public.

If it hadn't been for Masaru, she still would've been homeschooled.

The elder boy had slapped her head, and told her quite frankly to ' _get her shit together'._

" _We're all scared,'_ he had hissed ' _But we can't be scared forever,'_.

It was with those words, that her conviction strengthened. With those words that she got ready for her first year of actual school.

School… once you got down to it was just plain boring. The teachers were boring, and the coursework was boring. Chiyo ached for something more.

As soon as the teacher dismissed them, Chiyo found herself bumping into someone. She raised her head to apologize but froze for a moment.

The kid in front of her… Shima was his name she believed, looked incredibly sad.

 _(All this because I bumped into him. Did I really hit him that hard-)_

"I'm sorry Shima-san," Chiyo apologized bowing her head. "I need to watch my surroundings more,"

Shima just nodded his head, and Chiyo sighed.

 _(Why was everyone so depressed nowadays-)_

"Are you alright...Shima-san?" Chiyo questioned, holding out a hand towards him. "Let me help you up-"

"Koumori," The boy said through his curtain of dark hair. "Do you think… what do you think of me?"

Chiyo just stared at the boy and scratched her cheek.

Even though she barely spoke to the boy, she had been in his class for all three years of middle school. She had sat behind him every year.

 _(ShimaShima…_ _ **Kirishima**_ _-)_

"Kirishima-san… with all due respect I barely know you," Chiyo admitted, but immediately felt her stomach drop as a dark shadow crossed over his face. "But you seem like a really nice person,"

Kirishima kept looking downwards, and Chiyo couldn't help but feel incredibly bad.

 _(First, you bump into him then you get his name wrong. Good one Chiyo-)_

"Kirishima-san… would you like to eat lunch with me?" The boy's head snapped up in surprise. Chiyo smiled carefully.

 _(This... this is what Hanami would've done-)_

"I usually just eat with my friends-"

"They'll understand if you miss one day. Besides… I'd like to talk to you,"

The boy blushed slightly at that, and Chiyo continued to smile.

The moment they made it to the roof-Chiyo's usual spot to eat lunch- the boy let everything out. Chiyo-who was quite used to dealing with other people's problems- listened with an open ear.

Kirishima apparently felt… inadequate. Or in his words 'unmanly'.

"I just… you know The Crimson Riot?"

Chiyo tried not to let the distaste show on her face.

"He's a… a hero isn't he?"

"Yeah! He was one of the best," Kirishima replied, before looking somber once more. "Ever since I was young I wanted to be like him,"

"Why can't you?" Chiyo questioned as she slowly slurped up her noodles. If it was even possible, the red-eyed boy looked even more depressed.

"I'm nowhere near as manly as he is-"

"Kirishima-san," Chiyo cut off heatedly "With all due respect, please shut up,"

Kirishima's eyes widened, as he looked towards Chiyo.

"Sorry to raise my voice… but quite frankly you were annoying. If you want to be a hero then _do it._ Stop giving yourself excuses, move forward and…" _I can't believe I'm saying this_ "Go… go plus ultra. I hate people who lie to themselves, and people who try to put restrictions on themselves," Chiyo stated heatedly. "We only live once-" _Unless you're me_ "So take this life, and make it the best life possible,"

Kirishima stared at Chiyo, the wheels turning in his head before he sent the grey-skinned girl a bright smile. Chiyo was taken aback by the intensity of it.

"You're… you're right Koumori! I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna be just like my idol," He replied as he pumped his fist and ran to the door. He looked back towards Chiyo and sent her another blinding smile. "Y'know… you're pretty manly,"

"I… thanks I guess?" _Is that supposed to be a compliment?_

With those words, Chiyo was alone on the roof. She looked at the place her companion had been sitting, and let out a sigh.

"No matter where I go… it's always the same damn thing," She grumbled as she stared at the sky.

"What's so special about being a stupid _hero_?"

* * *

She laid down in her bedroom and pored over some old notebooks and photos.

After her and her mother were taken, the police had searched their old apartment. After a year of them not being located, their apartment had been cleaned, and all their belongings had been packed up.

Chiyo didn't care for much of the items at first, but after looking through them the first time she changed her tune.

Multiple journals and diaries. Photos of her mother, and herself as an infant. Even… even a photo of her father.

She didn't remember much of her father to be honest. All she knew was that her mother had gotten really drunk one night while traveling in Mexico, and bam! She was conceived.

Her mother had been an incredibly free spirit, Chiyo would come to learn as she read over more of her journal entries. She had loved singing and drawing and most importantly traveling to wherever she could. If it hadn't been for Adachi… maybe Nadeshiko could've still had that.

She put the photo album she had been looking over down and went over to her computer for her daily Capoeira lesson.

While she didn't care much for it, Hiroto had been adamant in her learning some sort of self-defense, whether it be in a dojo or online. Due to the similar style, it shared with gymnastics, Chiyo had taken to Capoeira very easily.

It relied on different kicks and flips, and it was exhilarating, to be frank. It made Chiyo feel amazing.

Capoeira was very much like a dance routine, and if done correctly, could be pure art.

After finishing her routine, Chiyo took a quick shower and went down to help Hiroto with dinner.

After a quick dinner, with Chiyo telling Hiroto about the happenings in her life, Chiyo decided to go out for a quick walk.

After putting on her shoes, Chiyo placed her headphones over her ears and drowned in loud music.

Sometimes, when her senses would get too clouded over, music helped her to focus. Pop and R&B being her favorite genres to explore.

She continued to walk down the street until something threw her off balance. She couldn't quite place what it was, until she raised her head, and pulled down her headphones.

A child was sitting in the middle of the street, with a truck swerving towards it.

Whenever someone would ask her about that moment, Chiyo would just sigh, and say that she didn't know why she did it, _and could you just let it go?_

But… in actuality, Chiyo's body moved on her own. She dropped her headphones and shades and rushed to the child, who was staring at the truck in a daze.

She hated heroes. Hated them with every fiber of her being.

But at that moment, Chiyo threw that hatred aside. She threw it aside because that child had needed _her_ to be a hero.

They were on the other side of the road in an instant, and Chiyo cradled the child's head searching for any wounds. She ruffled their head, and let out a sigh of relief when she couldn't find any.

When the child finally got out of their shock, they turned their head to the side and stared at the place they had just been sitting. _Helplessly._

The child stared up at her, and let out a cry.

"Y-you're my hero!" They yelled, burying their head into Chiyo's shoulder.

Chiyo forced a smile onto her face, but something inside of her broke at those words.

A hero… how was she supposed to respond to that?

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 9! A lot of stuff happened this chapter, and I hope you guys enjoyed it! Just to be clear, Bakugou is nowhere near as bad as Adachi was, but his cockiness just _reminds_ Chiyo of Adachi. Sadly, I've started school so I don't know how frequent my updates will be. But I will try and update all of my stories at least once before New Years. Thank you to all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed. I truly appreciate your support.

Questions I have for you Guys:

Are there any questions you guys have for me?

 _P.S. Chiyo's hairstyle is very similar to Hotaru Imai's from Gakuen Alice._

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

Chiyo stared at the shogi board listlessly. She breathed in and out, as she listened faintly to the cicadas chirping from the yard. Hiroto stared at her blankly. His clear eyes assessing her.

"What's wrong?" He questioned carefully. Not demanding necessarily, but it contained a certain undertone to it. It made Chiyo want to spill all of her secrets to him.

Chiyo remained silent, however, and continued to stare at the board. She fiddled with her piercings slightly, as Hiroto continued to stare at her. She was careful not to look into his eyes. She knew if she did, it would be game over.

Hiroto had that power. You just _couldn't_ lie to him.

 _(Her mother who laid delirious in a hospital bed- Toga who was being forced to suffer under a madman-Hanami who had been_ _**covered in red**_ _-)_

"How did you do it?" Chiyo broke out eventually, finally choosing to mee the elder man's gaze. "How'd you work with people like that?"

"People like what?" Hiroto responded calmly.

"People like-like bird-brain for example. How can you work with people that lie like that?" Chiyo questioned ghastly. "How could you work with people that give false hope? How could you stand to be in the same room as those… those heroes?" Chiyo spat out venomously as if it was a curse. Hiroto just continued to stare at her calmly, before looking down towards the board.

"Your move Chiyo-"

"Answer me!" Chiyo screeched, as she knocked the shogi board to the side. The individual pieces clattering across the ground. "How could you- why would you want to- how could you do it?"

The room was dead silent, but Chiyo didn't relent. She kept her gaze on Hiroto.

The man sat still for a few moments, before sighing. He went to pick up all the individual pieces, as Chiyo gritted her teeth.

"Why're you _cleaning_ right now-"

"I wanted to save people," Hiroto confessed. "I wanted to help make the world better,"

Chiyo was silent at that and bowed her head in shame at her previous actions. She went to help clean up the piece when Hiroto looked to her once more.

"When I was growing up… there was this man," Hiroto stated softly. "He was extremely charismatic and incredibly strong. He was… some people referred to him as the 'King of the Underworld',"

Hiroto's hand started to shake slightly.

"He had the power to steal quirks," Hiroto explained as he put the remaining shogi pieces away. "He had so many quirks at his disposal that some saw him as unstoppable. He was so powerful, that he could do whatever he wanted and there were no consequences for it. He just took and _took_ ,"

Chiyo watched Hiroto's back, as the man finally stopped moving. He bowed his head down.

"I grew up poor," Hiroto admitted. "My mom was always out drinking, and I have no way in hell of knowing who my father is,"

"I… I'm sorry-"

"Don't be," Hiroto replied as he waved a hand. "It made me stronger,"

Chiyo just nodded and continued to listen on respectively.

"I… I was the oldest, but I wasn't the best role model," Hiroto admitted as he went to sit down. "I was always out either doing drugs or stealing,"

Chiyo had to do a double take at that. The thought of the man in front of her doing anything illegal freaked her out. He didn't even like wearing mismatched _socks_.

"I… I got deeper and deeper into that lifestyle before I found that it wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. But by that point… it was too late. It wasn't easy for me to leave,"

"What did this… 'King of the Underworld' have to do with you?" Chiyo questioned softly, as she fiddled with her piercings some more. Hiroto just sighed.

"He… I met him once," Hiroto admitted, as he ran a hand through his pure white hair. "Only in passing, however. I wasn't important enough to really have a conversation with him at the time. But… I saw his quirk in action,"

Chiyo felt her stomach drop.

"She couldn't have been older than I was," Hiroto recalled sadly. "Apparently she had said something that he didn't like. So he made an example out of her and took her quirk right then and there. When he was finished, he just left her there to suffer. He said that if anyone helped her, they'd be left to the same fate,"

Chiyo sat there silently, drinking in the information.

"Why? Why would he do that?" Chiyo croaked. Hiroto chose this moment to finally stand up.

"I don't know Chiyo," Hiroto admitted. "I think you know as well as anyone that there are some messed up people in the world. People that just enjoy hurting others,"

"Why would you tell me this-"

"You asked why I willingly worked with heroes," Hiroto replied. "I worked with them because they have the same goal I do. They want to make this world a better place for people to live in,"

"But-"

"You're right. Some heroes nowadays don't care about that. But the _majority_ do, and that's what matters," A… smile came over Hiroto's face. "If it weren't for heroes, that man would still be terrorizing Japan today. If it weren't for heroes, I wouldn't have been able to get where I am today,"

Chiyo looked down at her hands and clenched her eyes shut.

 _("That's not true Chiyo-chan! Heroes can be really cool-")_

"Where is that man now?" Chiyo questioned softly. "Is he in jail?"

Hiroto shook his head.

"We don't know his whereabouts," Hiroto admitted. "I retired a few years prior to him being defeated. All we know is that he was left in an extremely bad state. He won't be coming back anytime soon," Hiroto promised as he went to leave the room. "You know I'm not one to give lectures Chiyo… but I felt this needed to be told. This vendetta you have against heroes-while I understand it- needs to go. You have to try and understand that not everyone can be saved. Heroes-while admirable- are humans too,"

Chiyo didn't know what to say to that.

"You did a good thing, Chiyo," Hiroto stated as he left the room. "There's nothing wrong with being someone's hero-"

"Hiroto," Chiyo interrupted "What does it mean to be a hero? Why… is this society so _infected_ by heroes?"

"You shouldn't see it as an infection," Hiroto reprimanded, his eyes softening slightly. "But… I can't answer that question for you. The answer to that question is different for everybody,"

Chiyo remained silent, as Hiroto finally left the room.

"Get some sleep," He ordered softly.

Chiyo just nodded her head quietly.

* * *

She was at her mother's bedside once more.

Her mother was drawing something, she had noticed upon walking in. Chiyo couldn't actually make out what it was, however, and she found she didn't want to.

It was just another sign of how far gone her mother really was.

She flipped through the channels on the TV and tried not to shudder in disgust at all the hero related displays going on.

 _("You need to let it go-")_

She couldn't let it go.

 _(She couldn't let it go, because Hanami had believed in heroes more than anything, and they had let her down-)_

Hanami… the pink haired girl still haunted her.

There were times when Chiyo liked to fantasize about what could've been. What if she had saved Hanami in the lab? What if Toga hadn't been taken? What if they had all been able to escape together?

What if the last image she had of Hanami hadn't been her bleeding out on the floor, with tears streaming down her face?

She couldn't let it go… because she had loved them. They had been her first friends in the world, and she had loved them more than anything.

Toga's eccentricities, Hanami's everlasting kindness. She missed it.

No matter how much she tried, she found she couldn't move on.

 _(She would never forget them for as long as she lived-)_

Her mother had stopped drawing.

Chiyo's head snapped up, once she realized the scratching of pen against paper had ceased.

Her mother put the pencil down and smoothed out the piece of paper. She looked over it and handed it to Chiyo with the same blank expression on her face.

Chiyo took it cautiously, and froze once she saw what was on it.

The girl in the picture had very small features. A small nose, small mouth. If you looked close enough, you could even see a few tiny white spots on the girl's cheeks. 'Freckles' Akito had called them.

The girl's ears, which she had used to despise, had multiple piercings adorning them. Her cheekbones were slightly sculpted and matched Nadeshiko's own.

Chiyo felt her hands start to shake, and a warm moisture made its way down Chiyo's face. Her mother _knew_ her. Nadeshiko had recognized her.

She hugged the picture close to her and wrapped one arm around Nadeshiko. For once the older woman didn't push her off.

Her mother had drawn _her_.

Chiyo had never seen herself as beautiful. Her body was littered with too many scars, her thighs were too thick thanks to years of gymnastics, and she had no chest to speak of.

Asami had called her beautiful… but she was family and it really didn't count.

Seeing her mother draw her, however. Seeing how her mother _saw_ her made her change her tune.

 _I only draw things I care about Chiyo_ her mother had whispered years before. _If I care about something, then it's beautiful, isn't it?_

Her mother thought she was worth it. Her mother thought _she_ was worth drawing.

That thought filled Chiyo with the most happiness she had felt in a long time.

* * *

Chiyo hummed happily, as she slowly drank her strawberry smoothie.

Brown eyes stare at her with the utmost annoyance.

"You mind keeping it down? I'm trying to finish this-"

"Masaru, what do you think of me?" Chiyo questioned, as she stared at him through her sunglasses.

"You're an annoying little shit," Masaru said swiftly, without looking up from his laptop. Chiyo snorted at that and nodded her head.

"Anything else?"

"What else is there?" Masaru questioned innocently, before looking at Chiyo once more. "Why do you even care? It doesn't matter what anyone thinks of you, it matters what you think of you,"

"... Are you high? You don't usually say things like that,"

"I'm not- what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means," Masago stressed as she took the seat next to Chiyo, giving Chiyo a one-armed hug as she did so. "That you're an idiot-"

"You're the last person I want to hear that from!"

Chiyo tuned the two out, as she continued to slurp her smoothie.

Ever since the meeting with her mother, she couldn't help but feel incredibly upbeat. Shinsou had commented on it, but Chiyo just gave him a carefree grin.

… He then proceeded to check her temperature, and ask Akito to take a look at her.

After the encounter with her mother, so many things just became clearer to her. She wasn't as angry as she was before.

She was finally at peace.

 _(Mom's getting better. If Mom's getting better than maybe I can make up for what I did-_ _ **I left her there)**_

Chiyo smiled serenely, and Masaru gave her a look.

"What is _up_ with you today? You're all smiley and shit-"

"-Language-"

"Got a boyfriend or something?" Masaru questioned as he went back to his work. Stars entered Masago's eyes.

"Do you Chiyo-chan? What's his name-"

"I don't have a boyfriend," Chiyo let out as she gave Masaru the stink eye. Masaru just snorted.

"Yeah, nobody would be crazy enough to wanna date _you_ -"

"Senpai? Is that you?" A very cheery voice interrupted. Masaru froze.

A very curvy girl, with round brown eyes, made her way to their table, and Chiyo watched in delight as the tips of Masaru's ears turned red.

"Er hi," Masaru replied, as he closed his laptop abruptly. Masago's jaw dropped at that.

The girl was all smiles as she turned to the two of them.

"Umm… hi!" She said chirpily, shaking both of their hands. "Are you Saru-senpai's friends?"

 _Saru-senpai…_

Chiyo struggled to keep a straight face, as she nodded her head. Masago smiled carefully.

"Yes, we are. It's a pleasure to meet you." Masago said as she gestured to an empty seat. "I'm Masago, and this is Chiyo,"

"Oh, I'm Ginny! Nice to meet you as well," She stated as she took the empty seat.

Masago nodded, and Chiyo perked up in interest.

"Ginny?" She questioned. Ginny nodded her happily.

"Oh yeah, I'm a transfer student," the blonde replied. "I'm going back to America in a few weeks,"

Chiyo nodded at that and took note of how Masaru tensed up at the word America.

"How do you know… Saru-senpai?" Masago said slowly, ignoring the death glare said boy was giving her. Ginny just beamed at her.

"Oh! Saru helped me out when I first came here. He showed me around the school," Ginny replied, as she scratched her cheek. "Well… he kinda had to since he was representative,"

Chiyo and Masago gave her identical nods, as Ginny just continued to smile at them. Chiyo swore there were sparkles emanating from the blonde.

"But… I guess the roles will be reversed when Saru-senpai comes to America-"

" _What?!"_ Chiyo and Masago screeched. Masaru expertly avoided their eyes and looked off to the side. Ginny looked overwhelmed.

"He… he didn't tell you?" Ginny said slowly, the smile finally slipping from her face. Masago and Chiyo both shook their heads.

Ginny just let out a nervous laugh.

"I… umm… I think I Just saw my friend walk in," She said slowly as she got up, and patted Masaru's arm. "I… it was nice meeting you,"

Chiyo just sat there, as Masago bid her farewell. The moment Ginny left, Masago and Chiyo pinned Masaru with a death glare. Masaru just sighed.

"Look… I was waiting for everyone to get her before I said anything-"

"Before you said anything about what?" Kino questioned as she walked in and took the seat next to Masaru. "Oh, and you forgot your wallet at our house Chiyo-chan. Tsubaki-san left it on the counter,"

"Why didn't you just bring it- wait- that's not important right now," Chiyo said abruptly, as she turned to Masaru. "Why America?"

"Who's going to America?" Saburo questioned, as he took the empty seat next to Chiyo. Akane followed shortly after.

" _He_ is apparently," Masago stated as she pointed towards Masaru. Saburo nodded.

"Oh, you got accepted-"

Everyone's head whipped towards Saburo.

"You _knew_? Why didn't you tell us-"

"I told him not to," Masaru replied. "Look it's not that big of a deal. I just didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure-"

"Where in America are you going?" Chiyo questioned softly. Masaru sighed.

"I-Island," Masaru replied. "I… you know David Shield?"

"Well… yeah. He's like one of the most famous scientists out there," Kino said, as her eyes grew round. "You… are you going to apprentice under _him_?"

Masaru nodded his head.

"I… he liked a paper I wrote," Masaru admitted. "He said my ideas were good, and he wouldn't mind me working for him in the future,"

Akane's jaw dropped.

"You… I didn't realize you were actually smart," Akane let out, causing Masaru's jaw to twitch.

"What's that supposed to mean-"

"She means that you have the appearance of an idiot," Yasuo replied causing everyone to jump up.

"When the hell did you _get_ here?"

Just like that, all the tension was erased. Chiyo felt her heart tighten at the thought of Masaru being so far away, but she didn't mention it.

As long as he was happy, it didn't matter.

They all laughed together and talked about the new happenings in their lives.

When Chiyo told them about the child she saved, Saburo just whistled.

"You've always had a hero complex," He stated solemnly. Chiyo gasped at that.

"I-I do not-"

"You totally do," Akane agreed. "You have this tough exterior you like to put on, but you're a huge softie underneath. I mean… just look at all the stuffed animals you have-"

"I like cute things," Chiyo mumbled before catching herself."What do you mean I have a hero complex?"

"Well.. even though you claim to 'hate heroes', you like helping people," Yasuo replied calmly. "You're a very kind person Chiyo-chan,"

Chiyo felt her cheeks warm at that.

"Hey… what do you guys think it means to be a hero?" Chiyo questioned lowly.

"Kicking ass and saving the day," Masaru replied bluntly. Masago just sighed at that.

"I think the answer's different for everyone," Saburo stated. "Not all heroes necessarily follow those guidelines,"

Chiyo nodded, before lowering her head.

"Don't you guys hate heroes?" Chiyo questioned softly. "Don't you hate the fact that they preach about justice, but they couldn't even come to save us-"

"Heroes are human too," Kino interrupted. "Adachi was… even though he was a complete _psycho_. He was also a genius. The heroes did what they could,"

They all seemed to nod in agreement at that, and Chiyo felt disgusted.

Not with the heroes, however. For once, Chiyo was disgusted by _herself_ instead.

 _(You've been so unfair-)_

"Chiyo-chan," Akane stated, as her brow furrowed. "Didn't you want to go to UA? That's a school known for heroes-"

"I was only doing it so Shin-chan wouldn't be alone. I planned to do general studies,"

"You _planned_ to do general studies," Saburo started off causing Chiyo to look at him in confusion. "Or are you still doing it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You used past tense," Yasuo pointed out. "Do you really think you'd be happy doing general studies? Why not just go for the hero course?"

"That's… I couldn't-"

"It'd be really cool if you did," Akane admitted. "Truth be told, I couldn't really see you doing general studies. Much too boring. You need something more exciting,"

"I would never-"

"Yeah," Kino agreed. "Once you become a pro, you and Masaru could be like a tag team. He would create all your gadgets, and you could fight crime together,"

"Wait-"

"I could see that," Saburo admitted. "As long as you don't forget about us once you get to the top,"

Chiyo found she couldn't speak.

Yasuo patted Chiyo's head.

"What do you want to do?" He questioned softly.

For once… Chiyo didn't know.

She used to have it all planned out. She would go to UA. Support Shinsou on becoming a hero, and remain relatively invisible.

But now… she had no clue.

An embarrassed look came over Kino's face.

"I… sorry Chiyo-chan. We got a bit too excited," She admitted as she scratched her cheek. "Do whatever you want to do. If you don't want to be a hero, then it's ok,"

"It's alright," Chiyo said as she gave the older girl a soft smile. "I… I don't know what I want anymore,"

That was a lie, Chiyo realized as she finished off her smoothie. She did know what she wanted.

She wanted to know why heroes were so celebrated. She wanted to know what it meant to truly be someone's hero.

She… she didn't want to remain in the background.

Chiyo just sighed, before giving Masaru a shit eating grin.

" _Sooo_ … what's going on between you and Ginny? _Saru-senpai_ ,"

Masaru groaned as the rest of them looked towards Masaru in interest. Masago's eyes gleamed.

"Who's Ginny?" Saburo questioned innocently.

Masago and Chiyo stared at each other for a moment, before getting to work immediately.

* * *

Shinsou and Mina looked at Chiyo with great interest, as she desperately tried to avoid their gazes.

"But… you _hate_ heroes," Shinsou said slowly as he looked over Mina's work. "Ashido, you got this problem wrong,"

Mina groaned, before looking to Chiyo as well.

"Shin-chan's right. Why the sudden change of heart?" Mina questioned. "You seemed so dead set on general studies,"

Chiyo just fiddled with her piercings.

"I… I just want to figure some things out," Chiyo mumbled. "I feel that… if I don't do the hero course I never will,"

Mina and Shinsou just nodded, and Chiyo was incredibly grateful they didn't ask any more questions.

She hadn't expected Mina and Shinsou to become friends. Their personalities were like day and night.

So when she had walked into the bakery one day, and saw them talking so casually. Well… she had been more than a little surprised.

"By the way, Mina-chin," Chiyo questioned abruptly. "Are you alright? I heard about the villain attack,"

Mina's shoulders sagged as she laid against Chiyo's bed.

"It was so scary!" Mina admitted. "But I couldn't just let Akemi and Rin deal with it themselves. They really looked like they needed help,"

Chiyo sighed, and karate chopped Mina's head.

"Ow-"

"You should've gotten help. What if the villain attacked you?" Chiyo questioned. Mina just nodded her head.

"I know, I know. But… my legs just moved on their own y'know," Mina replied as she looked at her paper once more. "Shin-chan, how do you do this problem?"

Chiyo remained quiet at that because she did know.

That was why she needed to do this. Why she needed to join the hero course.

She needed to find the answer.

 _(She needed to know why heroes were so celebrated. Why had Hanami loved them so much, when Chiyo had found nothing but hatred towards them-)_

She would do it for Hanami.

 _(It always came back to Hanami-)_

* * *

Chiyo couldn't believe the sight in front of her.

Heroes were securing the perimeter, searching for the best way to proceed.

A blonde boy was being restrained by a… Chiyo wasn't sure what it was. All she knew was that the heroes were helpless to stop it.

 _(Stop it Chiyo. Heroes are human too-)_

The boy looked familiar Chiyo noticed, as she took Hinata's hand in her own. She had been walking the red-haired boy home when it happened.

Hinata eventually gasped.

"Chi!" Hinata let out, tugging on Chiyo's skirt. "That's...that's the meanie from before!"

 _The meanie…_

Chiyo's brain clicked, as she looked towards the boy worriedly.

She couldn't remember his name, but she did remember him. He was a hard person to forget.

 _(He looked… scared-)_

Chiyo felt her legs start to tremble.

 _(Are you an idiot? If you run in, all you'll do is inconvenience the professionals. Plus, what about Hinata-)_

Something- or rather someone brushed against her side, effectively breaking her train of thought.

The first thing Chiyo noticed about him, was his curly green hair. It wasn't out of the ordinary necessarily, but Chiyo found herself wanting to run her hands through it.

He was a skinny kid. It was almost as if a gust of wind could knock him over. He ran towards the blonde as if he was in a trance-like he couldn't control his movements.

 _(My legs just moved on my own-)_

Chiyo watched as he clawed at the monster, to no avail. Even so, he didn't give up.

 _(I like giving things my all-)_

Even though she knew he had no chance of winning, something about the kid made her want to cheer him on.

Hinata's eyes widened as she looked at the boy.

"Chi," He questioned softly. "He's really cool isn't he?"

Chiyo found herself nodding in agreement.

Eventually… a large figure came in. His blonde hair sticking up into his signature hairstyle. Instead of his hero costume, he was instead wearing a white t-shirt and some regular pants.

Hinata cried.

"Chi… that's _All Might_ ," He said with nothing short of wonder in his tiny voice. Chiyo couldn't breathe.

 _(All Might. The symbol of peace. The **Ultimate Hero** -)_

Chiyo had used to hate him.

She used to hate how he was able to greet everyone with a smile.

 _(What about the people you couldn't save-)_

But now she didn't know what to feel about him.

Heroes were human too. Even someone as otherworldly as All Might.

"Yeah Nata," Chiyo replied, hugging the younger kid closer to her. "All Might will save the day,"

And he did. He sent the monster miles away from them, even changing the weather with his punch.

For once… Chiyo didn't feel disgusted at seeing a hero in action. She felt amazement.

"I hope my quirk is as cool as that," Hinata whispered. Chiyo just nodded her head.

"Your quirk will be amazing, Hinata," Chiyo whispered back. Hinata grinned at her.

"Chi… when you go to UA, and become a hero," Hinata said slowly, as they finally walked away from the scene. "Will you forget about me?"

Chiyo's jaw dropped as she shook her head.

"Never," Chiyo promised. "Sides… I don't even know if I'll make it in-"

"You will," Hinata said resolutely. "You will,"

Her face threatened to break in two at the size of her grin.

* * *

Large red wings, fluttered slightly as red feathers wafted through the room.

"Hawks-san," A mousy voice stated slowly. "A 'Chiyo Koumori' is here to see you. What should I say-"

"Let her in," The man replied lazily, sticking his pinky into his ear. "I've been expecting her,"

The woman nodded, walking away briskly. A few moments later, A short girl, with black shades covering most of her face walked in. She took her shades off and scowled at the sight in front of her.

"I've been texting you-"

"I'm a busy man Chiyo-chan," He replied as he popped a potato chip into his mouth. "I won't always have time to reply to your texts,"

"You-" Chiyo took a deep breath. "Look… Hiroto said you could help me out-"

"He did?" he replied back innocently. "Why would uncle say that-"

"Could you please-" Chiyo took a deep breath. "You're an asshole, but I know you won't leave me hanging. I just… I've spent the past few years despising heroes-despising you _because_ you're a hero. I want to apologize for that,"

Chiyo bowed lowly, her wings flaring behind her. Brown eyes stared at her with the utmost amusement.

"Aww it's alright Chiyo-chan," he said cheerily. "I forgive you,"

Chiyo sighed and sent him a tiny smile.

"So will you help me?"

"Why should I?" Hawks replied breezily. Chiyo groaned.

"You-I-"

"Words please," Hawks replied as he popped another potato chip into his mouth. His brown eyes took on a more serious undertone. "Being a hero is no joke. Why do you suddenly wanna become one?"

( _I need to find the answer for myself-)_

"I… you wouldn't understand-"

"Try me," Hawks said as he popped another potato chip into his mouth. Chiyo sighed and took the seat across from him.

"I… ever since a few nights ago," Chiyo started off. "When I saved that kid, I've been so conflicted,"

Hawks just stared at her and beckoned for her to continue.

"When I saved him, I got this… this adrenaline rush," Chiyo admitted. "I liked it,"

Hawks just kept staring at her, with those piercing eyes of his.

"I'm not gonna become an All Might fan," Chiyo admitted. "But… I want to help people. Make this world better. A world where-"

"Heroes can take it easy," Hawks finished for her. Chiyo nodded.

"Not what I was going to say, but close enough," Chiyo replied as she looked down at her hands. "But… I think I'd be good at it. Saving people I mean. Not a lot of people have a quirk that allows them to fly, so I'd be pretty useful. Plus my hearings really good so-"

Hawks raised a hand to stop her from talking. His grin turned predatorial.

"Not gonna lie Chiyo-chan. When I first met you, I thought you were an ignorant little shit-"

"Right back at ya," Chiyo interrupted heatedly.

"But," Hawks continued on nonplussed. "I like the way you think,"

Chiyo nodded at that.

"So you'll help me?" She questioned hopefully. Hawks nodded his head.

Chiyo grinned and wrapped the man in a hug. Hawks just patted his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah," he said disinterestedly. "Meet me at six AM sharp tomorrow. I'll be waiting in the yard,"

"You won't regret this-"

"Hopefully I don't," Hawks replied before his signature lazy grin took over. "Bring some chicken too,"

"... Isn't that cannibalism-"

"Ya want me to help you or not?" Hawks questioned lazily, as he stared at his fingernails disinterestedly. Chiyo just saluted towards him.

"I'll bring a warm bucket of Chicken," She said solemnly as she took her leave. She stopped as she reached the door. She sent Hawks one last smile. "Thank you… _Takahiro_ ,"

The man just waved her off.

"Don't be late brat,"

"You're only a few years older-"

"Oh? Is that backtalk I hear?"

"Of course not," Chiyo replied innocently. "You must be going senile,"

Hawks just stuck his tongue out at her.

* * *

 _Fun Fact: Chiyo is Japanese/Mexican. Japanese on her mother's side, and Mexican on her father's side._

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 10! It may not be much to some people, but I think this is the longest chapter I've written to date. A lot of things happened this chapter, and there was quite a bit of character development on Chiyo's part. She's not completely over her hatred of heroes, but she's working on it. Chiyo will be joining the hero course. Her main reason for that is because she wants to figure out what it truly means to be a hero, and why heroes are so celebrated. She also thinks that she'd be very useful due to her quirk. In regards to Hawks, due to the fact we still don't know his real name(I doubt we'll get it anytime soon) I just gave him a random one. He was based off of one of Horikoshi's previous character's( _Takahiro)_ so that was the name I went with. If Horikoshi does give us his name, I'll come back and change it. Next chapter will have a time skip, so stay tuned for that!

Questions I have for you Guys:

What do you think of the way I characterized Hawks?

What questions do you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I love to hear what you guys think, so don't forget to leave a review._

 _P.P.S. I posted chapter one of my_ _Lacuna_ _rewrite. If you're interested in Harry Potter, definitely check that out!_

 _P.P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _Sweat dripped down her back, as she struggled to make it back to her feet. Her wings seemed to wilt behind her._

" _How sad," Hawks mused, multiple red feathers levitating around him prepared to_ _**strike**_ _. "I thought you said you wouldn't give up? I thought you said you liked giving things your all-"_

" _I am," Chiyo stressed. "I'm just tired. We've been at this since morning-"_

" _If you're still able to talk," Hawks said slowly as he retracted more feathers. "You're still able to_ _ **fight**_ _. You can't become a hero if your conviction is that_ _ **weak**_ _,"_

 _Chiyo wiped the sweat from her forehead and nodded. Her softly sharpened nails dug into the ground, as she struggled to find something,_ _**anything**_ _within her that would will her to_ _ **get up**_ _._

 _Hawks pinched the bridge of his nose, as an exasperated sigh escaped him._

" _If you can't even do this," He said coldly. "What can you do? Are you really that weak?"_

 _Something broke inside of Chiyo at that._

 _(She wasn't weak-She refused to be weak-)_

 _Chiyo pushed herself off the ground and gave Hawks the hardest glare she could muster. He grinned lazily at her._

" _I'm not weak," Chiyo said heatedly, as she stretched out her legs. "Come at me_ _ **Bird-brain**_ _,"_

 _Red feathers careened towards her, as Chiyo leaped up and put her gymnastic skills to use._

 _Brown eyes gazed at her with a warm expression, and the man in front of her nodded his head in approval._

 _Chiyo grinned back._

* * *

"Akito-nii," Chiyo said exasperatedly. "For the last time, _I'll be fine_. It's just school,"

Akito put his hands up in a placating manner.

"Alright, alright," He said before looking at her once more. "But… you're a growing girl Chiyo-chan-"

"I am _not_ having the talk with you," Chiyo said immediately, her cheeks heating up. "I already know everything there is to know anyway,"

"That's good- _wait_ ," He said abruptly, giving Chiyo a piercing gaze. "What do you mean you already know everything?"

Chiyo just looked off to the side and whistled innocently.

"Chiyo-chan _what do you know_ -"

"Dear, she's just messing with you," Asami said as she saddled up next to Akito and placed a kiss to his cheek. "She's still perfectly innocent,"

Akito gave Chiyo a betrayed look, and the girl just returned it with a cheeky grin.

"You used to be such a cute kid," Akito mused as he ruffled Chiyo's hair. "What happened?"

"Oh.. you know," Chiyo started off slowly. "Puberty. All those hormones rushing around-"

"Stop," Akito said as if he was in physical pain. "Promise me you won't start dating until you're thirty,"

"Can't make any promises," Chiyo said solemnly. "I… I don't think I'll be able to control myself with all those _powerful_ , _attractive_ hero hopefuls-"

Akito plugged his ears, as Hinata saddled into the room. He looked at Akito worriedly.

"What's wrong with Papa?" The boy questioned, as Chiyo picked him up. Chiyo grinned.

"He doesn't want me to grow up," Chiyo replied. "You ready for your first day of school?" Hinata nodded his head.

"I have it all planned out," The boy replied. "I'm going to ace it!" Cerulean eyes turned to Chiyo. "Chi, you gotta do well at UA too, ok? When I go there, you gotta give me tips,"

Chiyo nodded solemnly and held out her pinky.

"Pinky promise?" Chiyo stated. Hinata stared at her with pure happiness and took her pinky excitedly.

"Pinky promise!"

Asami smiled at the sight.

"I just put Asuka to bed," Asami said as she went to place a kiss to Chiyo's temple. "I think she wanted to say goodbye to you too,"

Hinata's face soured at the mention of his little sister.

Asuka had been born prematurely, at only seven months. Even so, signs of her quirk had already started to manifest.

Asami had walked into her nursery one day, only to find that all of Asuka's toys were floating.

Asuka was a quiet baby. Asami hadn't even known she was pregnant with her until she had been four months along.

While everyone adored her, Hinata seemed to hold a bit of a grudge.

" _How come her quirk showed up, and mine hasn't?"_ he mumbled to her one night. Chiyo just sighed, and ruffled his hair, at a loss for words.

Hinata was five, and there was still no sign of his quirk.

The word 'quirkless' had been thrown around more often than not.

Hinata didn't give up hope, however.

With a stubborn tilt to his chin, and his cerulean eyes gleaming. Hinata had made a declaration to her.

" _Y'know something Chi,"_ He had mumbled as he drifted off to sleep. " _Even if I don't get a quirk, I'm still gonna be a hero. Just like you. We could even have joint agencies!"_

Chiyo had just smiled at that and told Hinata to go to sleep.

Chiyo slipped her sunglasses on and grabbed her school bag. She saluted towards the family.

"Tell Hiroto, I'll be home at around seven," Chiyo replied. "I was going to go celebrate with Mina-chin,"

The former head of police had apologized profusely to her but had not been able to be there for her first day of high school.

Apparently, he had business with an old friend. A man named 'Sorahiko' from his younger days.

The distressed look on Hiroto's face, however, told Chiyo that she shouldn't question it.

Chiyo ignored how Akito tensed slightly at the mention of his father and granted them one last smile.

"Well… I'm off!" She said as she sprinted out the door.

"Good luck Chi!"

"Kick some ass!"

"We're all rooting for you Chiyo-chan," Akito finished off calmly. Chiyo granted them a thumbs up.

"I won't let you down," She promised solemnly, as she finally made her exit.

* * *

Hiroto felt as if he was marching to war.

 _(You cut them out. You cut that part of your life out-)_

Obsidian eyes and a bright smile still haunted him to this day.

 _("Why so serious Hiro?")_

Hiroto groaned as he massaged his temple. He steeled himself, as he went to knock on the door.

A face he hadn't seen in years, stared up at him.

Sorahiko, mainly known as 'Gran Torino', leaned against his walking stick as he sized Hiroto up, and snorted.

"Haven't changed a bit," He grumbled. "Still look like you got a stick up your ass-"

" _Hiko,"_ Hiroto stressed. "There's no time for small talk. You said that… that Toshinori-kun finally did it? That he passed it on?"

"That brat," 'Hiko' mumbled, as he let Hiroto in. "Barely visits me, then he calls out of nowhere to say _this_ ,"

Hiroto couldn't _breathe_.

 _(This was… this was a part of her legacy-)_

"Who was it?" Hiroto questioned softly. Sorahiko just stared at him and shook his head.

"You're gonna wanna sit down for this, "

* * *

Frankly, Chiyo couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Much like in middle school, her seat was exactly behind Kirishima's.

However, Chiyo wasn't exactly sure the person in front of her was Kirishima.

Sure the boy in front of her shared similar facial features with her old classmate, and the same eye shape and color. But… there was just something different concerning him.

The boy caught her staring, and gave her a nervous smile.

"Is something the matter, Koumori?"

Chiyo didn't answer right away and continued to scrutinize his face.

There was _something_ different about him.

"It's the hair," Mina whispered from across the room. "It's confusing her,"

Chiyo flipped her off.

"Excuse me!" a very tall boy exclaimed, making _very_ excessive hand motions. "Such vulgar hand signs shouldn't be used on UA premises-"

Chiyo was itching to flip him off too.

UA was beautiful. Chiyo had expected nothing less from one of the best schools in Japan.

It… it wasn't UA that had gotten her in such a sour mood, however.

 _("You hated heroes," He had said "Yet you made it in so easily on a recommendation-")_

Shinsou was pissed at her, and for good reason.

Shinsou hadn't been able to make it into the hero course and had instead been stuck into general education. The place Chiyo herself had said she had wanted to go not that long ago.

Shinsou hadn't been outwardly cruel. No, the boy was too much of a softie to be outwardly cruel.

But… Chiyo could tell. She knew the boy too well not to.

He avoided her texts and avoided her in general. He hadn't even wanted to walk to school with her.

Chiyo couldn't fault him for his anger, however. She'd be angry in his place too.

Shinsou had loved heroes, had wanted to become one since day _one_. Yet… she who had despised heroes was able to make it into the hero course.

Chiyo felt her heart clench.

 _(She didn't know what to do. What to say. How could she fix this-)_

Chiyo just sighed.

"Kirishima-san," Chiyo stated, catching the… _redhead's_ attention.

 _(So that's what was different-)_

"Yes, Koumori?"

"Call me Chiyo. We've been in the same class for three years now,"

The boy seemed to brighten at that and nodded his head at that.

"Chiyo, then!"

Chiyo suppressed a smile. She was glad that the boy seemed to be becoming more open.

A blonde that was sitting not too far away from them, winked at Chiyo. The red-eyed girl tried her hardest not to laugh.

"Hey, can I call you that?" he asked, as he gave her what she assumed to be a flirtatious look. Chiyo shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure," She replied. "May I ask your name?"

"Denki Kaminari," he said giving a bright smile. Chiyo's lips quirked up at that.

"A pleasure to meet you Kami-Sama," Chiyo replied. The blonde let out a laugh at that.

Chiyo looked around the room to observe her fellow classmates.

 _("Always keep your eyes and ears open" Hawks had told her "You'll never know what you'll miss-")_

Yaoyorozu-san, from the exam for recommended students, caught her staring. With a somewhat shy smile, the black haired girl waved back. Chiyo smiled at her.

The boy next to her was a completely different story, however.

To be honest, the only thing Chiyo liked about him was his hair.

Shouto Todoroki was someone that Chiyo couldn't see herself getting along with. He was just too perfect.

From his quirk, all the way to his looks. She couldn't find a single flaw.

Sure some would say the scar on his face counted, but that only made him even more aesthetically pleasing in her opinion.

He was someone she wanted to beat.

The boy caught her staring as well, and Chiyo met his gaze head-on. The grin she sent him was all teeth as she nodded towards him.

The bastard just looked away.

Chiyo's brow twitched, but she just decided to ignore it.

 _(You really think you're better-)_

More people filed in, one by one. Chiyo made a mental note on all of them.

She stopped momentarily, however, when a boy with spiky blonde hair walked in.

 _(It's him-)_

The boy met her gaze, and Chiyo tried to give him a soft smile.

 _(He had looked scared-Start off fresh Chiyo-)_

The boy met her eyes for only a moment, however, before scoffing at her and turning away. The smile slipped off of Chiyo's face as quickly as it came.

 _(Well… screw you too asshole-)_

Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck and looked towards Chiyo.

"Y'know...K-Chiyo, the offers extended to you too,"

"Huh?"

"You can call me Eijirou if you want, or Ei,". Kirishima replied looking somewhat embarrassed. Chiyo nodded.

"Shima," Chiyo decided on, giving a somewhat lopsided grin. "I like that,"

Kirishima smiled back, displaying very sharp teeth.

"Great-"

"You're disrespecting the desks that our esteemed upperclassman have sat in!"The boy wearing glasses exclaimed suddenly, breaking Chiyo out of her musings. The blonde boy was sitting with his feet atop the desk. "Please remove them at once!"

The blonde boy just smirked, however, and Chiyo knew he wouldn't be an easy person to deal with.

 _(I guess the villain accident didn't change him any-)_

Mina walked next to her desk.

"I can't believe we actually made it in!" The pink skinned girl stated happily. "I was _soo_ nervous,"

"Yeah," Chiyo nodded. "I could barely sleep-"

"Please remain seated!" The glasses wearing boy exclaimed, making excessive hand motions towards the two of them. "In order to be organized-"

"You're standing too," Chiyo pointed out blankly, giving the fellow teen a pointed stare.

The boy seemed to freeze at that, as he realized the blunder of his own hypocrisy. He moved to sit in his seat before his eyes landed on something- or rather someone at the door.

A timid looking boy made his way into the classroom and seemed to wilt slightly at the sight of the boy with the glasses. The taller boy didn't let that deter him, however, and went to introduce himself.

Chiyo squinted at the green haired boy, and couldn't help but notice how familiar he looked.

He was rather plain looking, and he didn't seem like he'd be much competition if Chiyo were to be completely honest.

 _(She needed to give this her all- She had to be the best-_ _ **For Hanami**_ _-)_

Chiyo turned her eyes away from the two boys and retracted into her own thoughts.

She was at UA. She was in the hero course.

If her younger self could see her right now, she would undoubtedly be disgusted.

Heroes… if Chiyo were, to be honest, she still wasn't the biggest fan. But… she found she could understand them better now.

Heroes were human too, Chiyo had repeated to herself over and over again. Unknowingly, Chiyo had put heroes onto a pedestal. Expecting them to be these Godly beings.

But now… Chiyo didn't know what to think.

 _(She had to find the answer-)_

A large yellow caterpillar sidled up next to the door, causing Chiyo to choke on her spit. The bag unzipped, to reveal a heavily disheveled man.

 _(Is he… homeless?)_

Everyone turned to stare at her, and Chiyo placed both of her hands over mouth. Her wings trembled slightly for a moment.

 _(She hadn't meant to say that out loud- Stupid stupid stupid-)_

The man cleared his throat.

"It took you guys ten seconds to get quiet," He stated, giving Chiyo a pointed stare. The grey-skinned girl just avoided his gaze.

"I'm your homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa," He replied in that same monotone voice. "Nice to meet you,"

Chiyo nodded tentatively, as the rest of the class chorused back. The man pulled out a dark blue tracksuit, with a red and white design.

"This may seem sudden," He started off. "But I need you guys to put these on and meet me outside. Be quick about it,"

"We're already starting?" She heard somebody mumble in the back. Chiyo just shrugged. She had expected nothing less if she were, to be honest.

 _(One of the best schools in Japan… she had to do well-)_

In the locker rooms, Chiyo quickly discarded her school uniform. She felt eyes on her as she did so.

"N.47," Yaoyorozu-san mumbled, causing Chiyo to freeze. "What does that mean?"

 _(Today is just not your day-how could you forget to cover that up-)_

Chiyo sent the much taller, and more well-endowed girl a smile.

"It's only the first day of school," Chiyo let out cheerfully. "I can't tell all my secrets now can I?"

Yaoyorozu nodded her head tentatively at that and dropped the subject

Chiyo hurriedly put the gym uniform on and hightailed it out of there. Her heart beating rapidly, as she went to stand next to a boy with multiple arms.

 _(Holy shit, holy shit-calm down-)_

She pushed her sunglasses onto her face, as she looked down at the ground. She took a few deep breaths and flapped her wings slightly to get rid of the tension.

There was no use worrying about it, Chiyo resolved. It wasn't as if the girl actually knew what the tattoo meant.

 _(She hoped nobody would ever have to know what it meant-)_

Aizawa cleared his throat, garnering all of their attention. He held up a ball in his hand.

"Quirk assessment test," he said briefly, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. Chiyo grinned slightly at that and stretched out her arms.

 _(I can finally show what I'm made of. I'll shock Bird-Brain by getting really good results-)_

"Bakugou," The sleepy looking man called out, causing Chiyo to lookup in surprise. The angry looking blonde raised his head. "You got the highest score on the entrance exam. What was your softball score in middle school?"

"67 meters," The blonde replied roughly. Aizawa tossed the ball towards the blonde, and Chiyo scowled.

 _(Just how good is he-)_

After receiving instructions from Aizawa, the blonde breathed in deeply.

" _ **DIE!"**_ He yelled, causing Chiyo to jump. He threw the ball with all he had, as explosions erupted from his hand. Chiyo let out a whistle at that.

 _(Incredible-)_

"705.2 meters," Aizawa said as he held up the number. Chiyo felt her jaw drop.

Blondie with anger issues amazing score seemed to rile up the class.

"This is going to be so fun!" Mina exclaimed pumping her fist. Chiyo didn't respond and kept stretching.

Aizawa's features seemed to darken at that, however.

"Fun huh?" He stated as an evil smirk made its way onto his face. "How about this? Whoever gets last place will face expulsion,"

The mood seemed to dampen at that.

Chiyo's eyes narrowed, as she stretched out her quads.

"Well," she said bringing attention to herself once more. "I guess I better not get last place then,"

Aizawa met her gaze head-on, as people looked at her in shock.

 _(She always did like getting a reaction out of people-)_

"I guess not," The man replied blankly. "Let's begin, shall we?"

* * *

Fourth place. That was her placement in the test.

Needless to say, Chiyo wasn't very happy with the results.

 _(How could I have done better-)_

The grin Aizawa gave the class afterward, was downright mocking.

"By the way… I was lying about expulsion," He stated bluntly. "It was a lie I gave you so that you would test your limits,"

 _(That… that actually makes sense-)_

Everyone in the class was surprised at that, Yaoyorozu(Who had gotten first place, Chiyo thought bitterly) just shook her head.

"It was obvious wasn't it?" She questioned. Chiyo's shoulders sagged at that.

 _(Someone else who I have to beat-)_

"Midoriya," Aizawa said calmly, causing the boy with curly green hair to perk up. "Get your finger checked out with Recovery Girl. The rest of you can go home,"

Chiyo watched with great interest as the boy nodded his head. She felt her shoulders sag even more.

 _(The boy who I thought wouldn't be any competition, ended up surprising everyone-)_

Mina patted her shoulder.

"Hey, hey!" She said happily. "Wanna go to the arcade afterward? We haven't been in a while,"

Chiyo just nodded her head, causing the pink skinned girl to stare at her.

"What's wrong?"

Chiyo sighed and smiled softly.

"Nothing Mina-chin," She replied before giving her a look. "Are you sure you wanna go the arcade? You'll lose y'know,"

"We'll see," Mina replied as they made their way back to the locker room.

Mina-ever the social butterfly-made small talk with the other girls in the class, bringing Chiyo into the conversation whenever she could.

"Koumori-chan!" Invisible girl(Hagakure) started off excitedly. "You and Yaoyorozu-chan got in on recommendations, right?"

Chiyo nodded slowly, as she buttoned up her uniform shirt, keeping her wings pinned together as she did so.

"I'm not surprised," A girl with an incredibly round face said abruptly. She gave Chiyo a smile. "You guys did really well!"

"Umm… thanks, I guess," Chiyo replied as she put her earrings on. "You guys were pretty great too,"

"I was a bit surprised that we were tested so early," Yaoyorozu said softly. "But… it's expected of UA, I guess,"

"Yeah," A girl with… earphone jacks brought up. "I was so nervous. I'm glad the expulsion thing was a lie-"

"Yeah!" the round-faced girl said cheerfully. "We all worked way too hard to get expelled on the first day,"

They all nodded in agreement at that and continued to make small talk. Tsuyu Asui, Ochako Uraraka, Kyouka Jirou, and Tooru Hagakure were the other four girls in the class that Chiyo hadn't had a chance to properly talk to. Tsuyu stared at her for a moment as she pulled up her socks.

"You have a lot of scars Chiyo-chan," Tsuyu realized. Tooru gasped at that.

"That's not good Chiyo! It makes you look rough," She said pumping an invisible fist.

Chiyo just shrugged.

"I was a pretty active kid," She replied, as she put on her shoes. It wasn't a complete lie, Chiyo resolved as she picked up her school bag. Just not the complete truth.

 _(Adachi had always been big on physical fitness-)_

She sent the girls a curt nod.

"I look forward to working with you all," She said as she bowed towards them. Ochako let out a laugh at that.

"No need to be so formal! We're all classmates now, so let's try and get along, ok?" She said with a bright grin. Chiyo just nodded her head.

"Ah… I guess you're right," Chiyo said softly as she rubbed the back of her neck, her freckles seeming to glow against her skin. "See you guys tomorrow,"

They all chorused back, as Mina went out to follow her. They only went out a few feet, however, before someone called out to them.

"Hey! K-Chiyo! Ashido!" Shima exclaimed running towards them. "We were gonna go to the arcade, wanna come?"

Mina nodded her head excitedly, and Chiyo just shrugged her shoulders. Kami-Sama and a boy with extremely weird looking elbows waved towards them as well.

Chiyo's lips twitched as she walked towards them.

 _(Making new friends… that doesn't seem so bad-)_

* * *

Chiyo walked up the sidewalk to her house and froze upon the sight of a man in front of her.

The man was… to be frank, he looked awful.

If Akito were here, he would undoubtedly admit the man into a hospital.

Chiyo would normally mind her business, but the man was standing right in front of the house.

Chiyo tentatively approached him and jumped about a foot in the air when the man coughed out a gob of blood.

"Sir!" She questioned, running towards him. " Are you alright?! Let me help you-"

The front door opened, and Hiroto stared at the two of them in confusion.

"Chiyo? I didn't think you'd be back so soon-"

" _Hiroto!"_ Chiyo called out desperately. "This man just coughed out blood. He needs help-"

"I'm fine, young lady," the man said gently as he stood up. "It… it happens sometimes,"

Chiyo's jaw dropped.

"What do you mean it just _happens_ -"

"Chiyo," Hiroto broke through, giving the man a hard look. "You've had a long day, right? Let me handle this,"

Chiyo looked between the two of them and just shook his head.

"Fine," Chiyo eventually said, giving the man one last look. "I'll… I'll be upstairs,"

Chiyo brushed past Hiroto, and was a bit perturbed at how… deadly his gaze seemed.

"Come in… Toshinori-kun," Hiroto said softly as Chiyo made her way upstairs. A part of her itched to listen to the conversation, but she couldn't invade Hiroto's privacy like that.

She did pick up some things, however.

" _A quirkless middle schooler-"_

Chiyo gasped at that and covered her ears. She placed her headphones over her ears hurriedly.

This was something Hiroto didn't want her to know about, therefore she wouldn't.

It was the least she could do, after all. She owed him so much after all he's done for her.

* * *

 _Fun fact: Chiyo has quite a few freckles due to her light sensitivity. Due to her melanin being structured differently(She has grey skin) they appear as pure white against her skin. They're mostly dotted against her nose and cheekbones. Shinsou once said it reminded him of looking at the night sky._

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 11! We've finally gotten to canon, and I'm beyond happy about that. I want to take the time to thank all the people that have favorited, followed and reviewed this story. It truly means the world to me. We've passed _100_ favorites, and we're close to passing _200_ follows. Quite a few things happened this chapter, and I hope you guys enjoyed them and were at least a little surprised by them. I have quite a few things planned, and I can't wait to start writing them.

Questions you Guys had:

 **What was Hiroto's involvement in the AFO case?** This will be revealed in full at a later date. I can't give too much away regarding this.

 **Who are you planning to ship Chiyo with?** I have an _idea_ for who I want to ship Chiyo with, but the character hasn't been introduced yet. I am taking suggestions, however.

Questions I have for you Guys:

Do you guys sympathize with Shinsou's anger?

What questions do you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I love reading what you guys think, so don't forget to leave a review._

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

Chiyo flew down the stairs, her wings fluttering steadily behind her. She walked into the kitchen, expecting Hiroto to be in his usual place at the stove.

She was surprised, however, to see him sitting in the living room instead. He was staring intently at an old photo album.

Chiyo stared at him for a few moments, before slowly edging her way back to the kitchen.

Ever since 'Toshinori-san' had come to visit, Hiroto had been in an incredibly solemn mood. Instead of playing their usual shogi match after dinner, the man had just chosen to go to his room.

Chiyo was… worried for the older man to say the least.

The tiny girl pulled out a stepping stool and got to work on making breakfast for the two of them. The duty had usually fallen to Hiroto, but Chiyo had a feeling that the man wouldn't be up to it.

Thankfully, Chiyo wasn't completely illiterate when it came to working in the kitchen. Tsubaki-san had been adamant that Kino and she had at least known how to make simple dishes. For when they 'start a family' the elder woman had gushed.

The conversation still made Chiyo laugh to this day.

She had no plans of getting married or starting a so-called 'family'. Any future kids of her would be _doomed_.

 _(She wasn't selfish enough to believe she deserved something as precious as a child. She would ruin them. Pour all of her faults and insecurities onto them-)_

Chiyo cracked some eggs and hummed a random tune as she waited for them to cook properly.

Her wings flared, as she heard a loud patter of feet moving closer and closer to her. She immediately went on the defensive, and picked up a frying pan-

"CHIYO!" Mina screeched from outside the door, causing the aforementioned girl to put the pan down with an annoyed sigh. "We're going to be late! Are you ready yet?!"

Chiyo frowned at that and looked at the clock, before choking on her spit. She flew back up the stairs as quickly as she came.

As she put on her multiple earrings, she scrunched her nose slightly, before cursing up a storm.

 _(Shit-)_

She flew back down the stairs, and quickly turned the stove off, looking at her burned eggs forlornly.

 _(She never burned food-)_

With an annoyed scoff, she tossed the eggs in the trash and grabbed a plain piece of toast.

She pulled up her socks as she made her way into the living room. She placed a kiss on Hiroto's cheek-noting how he ruffled her hair ever so slightly-before flying out of the house.

Mina stood outside impatiently, tapping her foot periodically.

"It's the second day," She complained. "We can't be late on the _second day._ Sides our teacher looks _scary_ -"

"We won't be late," Chiyo placated as she looked down at her watch quickly. She pushed her sunglasses onto her face, before stretching out her arms.

Mina just gave her a _look_.

"What do you mean-"

"Mina-chin," Chiyo started off slowly, looking up at the sky. "How do you feel about flying?"

* * *

Chiyo let out a sigh of relief, as they finally made it to UA premises. She put Mina down and stared blankly at the taller girl.

" _Damn_ you're heavy-"

Mina just stuck her tongue out, before a brighter look entered her eyes.

"We have to do that again," Mina replied breathlessly. "Is that what it's always like? Flying I mean,"

Chiyo grinned and nodded her head.

"It's always like that," Chiyo promised, as she started to fix her tie. "It's… it's one of the best feelings in the world,"

Mina laughed slightly, as she shook her head in agreement. They walked into the classroom and took their respective seats.

As expected, Chiyo mused, the glasses wearing boy from before was already there. He pushed his glasses up his nose, as he stared at them.

"You two!" He relayed, pointing a hand towards them. "We must not use our quirks outside of UA premises! It goes against quirk-restriction laws, and ruins the balance of-"

Chiyo tuned him out, as she took her sunglasses off of her face.

Frankly, the boy seemed like a real stick in the mud.

He was much too serious and seemed like the type of guy that was always one to follow the rules by the book. Something that Chiyo did not agree with.

Rules and restrictions… Chiyo wanted nothing to do with it.

 _(She wanted to be free-)_

Kami-Sama walked in and waved at Chiyo as he took his seat not too far from where she was. Chiyo waved back half-heartedly.

"Woah… you look _dead_ ," The blonde stated as he took his seat. Chiyo just yawned.

"I didn't have a proper breakfast," Chiyo replied as she stretched out her arms. "I'm not at my best right now," Kami-Sama just snapped his fingers and let out a slight laugh.

"You're like a kid-"

"Bakugou-kun!" Four eyes exclaimed once more, causing Chiyo to look towards him exasperatedly. "Such foul language-"

"He seems really high strung," Hanta(Han-chan Chiyo decided on) said letting out a laugh. "That blonde guy seems pretty intense too,"

"They can't be all bad," Shima retorted as he took his seat. "They're training to be heroes just like us,"

Chiyo just let out another yawn as she placed her head down on the desk.

"Wake me when it's time for class-"

"Excuse me! Class will start in only a few minutes! Now is not the time-"

Chiyo drifted on into sleep.

* * *

When it was all boiled down… no matter how prestigious it was… UA was still _school_.

The cold hard truth slammed into Chiyo, as she took notes for History. She struggled to stay awake as Cementoss droned on and on.

She had always hated school. It's not that she was bad at it, far from it actually. She just had always thought of it as a waste of time.

But now…

Chiyo was actually trying. Instead of just passing by half-heartedly, she wanted to be the best.

Cementoss put down the chalk he was writing with and turned to the class.

"It is now time for lunch," He stated blankly. "Class dismissed,"

The class let out a cheer at that, some even throwing their notebooks into the air.

Chiyo pushed her sunglasses onto her face, as she went in the direction of the school roof. Something- or rather someone-grabbed her arm, however, stopping her in her tracks

Mina gave her an evil grin.

"You always ran off in middle school," Mina stated as she pulled Chiyo in the opposite direction towards the cafeteria. "But we're starting high school off fresh! You're going to be social,"

"Mina-chin-"

"Nope!" The pink skinned girl said firmly. "We're starting off with a bang! No more hiding on the roof,"

Chiyo scowled at that, as she put her head down.

 _(She hated large crowds-)_

"Fine," She gritted out. "But the moment I finish eating, I'm leaving,"

Mina just waved a hand at her.

"Sure, sure," She said, as her eyes lit up. "Hey, that's Shin-chan!"

Chiyo froze, as Mina waved excitedly towards the boy.

"Hmm… I guess he can't see us," Mina mused as she frowned slightly. "I haven't been able to talk to him much lately,"

Shinsou had in fact seen them. Or he had at least seen _Chiyo_. The moment his eyes landed on her, however, the corners of his lips turned down. He turned around and went to sit with people from his class. From _general studies_.

Chiyo felt like shit.

 _(I… I'm sorry. I'm sorry I gave you a hard time about it before. I'm sorry our situations are reversed-)_

Chiyo just sighed.

"Mina-chin," Chiyo said solemnly. "There's an empty seat over there. If we hurry-"

Somebody had hammered into her.

Chiyo's sunglasses fell off, as she was promptly knocked down. She heard a booming laugh in front of her. A boy with blonde hair, and a very… simplistic face held his hand out towards her.

"Sorry about that," The boy boomed. "Didn't see you there! You're pretty short aren't you?"

Chiyo gritted her teeth.

 _(Don't kick his ass, don't kick his ass, don't kick his ass-)_

"Maybe you're just _blind_ ," Chiyo spat out. Instead of being offended, however, the boy just laughed even more.

"Maybe you're right!" He said giving Chiyo a bright smile. "See ya around!"

Chiyo dusted herself off and watched as the boy went to join some of his friends. Mina just stared at her with a dopey look on her face.

 _(Oh great-)_

"Young love-"

" _ **No,**_ _Mina, "_

* * *

Chiyo stretched out her arms as they made their way back to class.

During lunch, Mina and she had sat with Jirou, Yaoyorozu, Tooru, and Tsuyu. They all seemed like pretty nice people.

Jirou(Ro-chin) had immediately wormed her way into Chiyo's heart when she complimented Chiyo's multiple piercings, something that many people had frowned upon. They also had a very similar taste in fashion.

Yaoyorozu(Yao-chin Chiyo had stated after moments of deliberation) was just _perfect_ , and not in the way Todoroki was. Yao didn't have a condescending air about her, she genuinely had a kind heart. Something she felt was lacking in the dual eye-colored boy.

 _(You really think you're better-)_

She hadn't been able to get proper readings on Tooru and Tsuyu yet. She knew Tooru had an energetic personality-most likely to make up for her invisibility- and that Tsuyu was very blunt. Other than that, she still had more work to do.

 _(Keep your eyes and ears open- learn their weaknesses- that's how you'll be the best-)_

She genuinely did like her new classmates, and in time would like to be good friends with them. But she always kept her main goal in mind.

 _(You didn't come here to just make friends, never lose sight of that-)_

As she took her seat, Chiyo waited in anticipation.

They were finally going to start actual hero classes. Her classmates brimmed with excitement at the fact.

"I heard All Might will be teaching us, _ribbit_ ," Tsu stated as she watched the door. "I can't wait,"

No matter how she personally felt about the man, Chiyo found herself agreeing with the taller girl.

 _("You're pretty short aren't you?")_

The pencil Chiyo had been holding, had snapped in half at that. Shima gave her a tentative look.

"You alright?" He questioned. Chiyo nodded her head, but the look on her face said otherwise.

 _(She was not that short-)_

She quickly took a survey of the room and felt her shoulders sag.

The only person she was able to say she was taller than, was the kid with purple balls sticking out of his head. Even the kid sitting behind her, Kouji Koda, who frankly hadn't said a single word was much taller than she was.

 _(She hated everything-)_

"Why are you people so tall?" Chiyo groaned as her head hit the desk. Han-chan grinned at that.

"Why are you so short, is the better question," he replied as he snapped his fingers. "I thought you were in elementary school when I first saw you,"

Chiyo flipped him off but immediately put her hand down when the door opened abruptly.

All Might- in all his glory- marched into the room. Her classmates all gushed, at the sight of the number one hero, but Chiyo felt her eyes narrow.

She would never be a fan necessarily, but she did respect him.

 _(So this is the presence of the number one hero-)_

"I teach Hero basic training!" The incredibly muscular man boomed. "A subject where you train in the fundamentals of being a hero!"

Chiyo found herself nodding along, as the man explained more about what the course was about.

 _(Get to the point already-)_

"Today, we'll be doing combat training!" the man said dramatically, as he pointed off to the side. "To go with that… are these right here!"

Chiyo straightened herself out, as she looked to the boxes he was pointing towards with great interest.

 _Their hero costumes._

"After you change… gather in Ground Beta!"

Chiyo didn't need to be told twice.

As she went to the locker room, she looked down at her costume with nothing but warmth and giddiness.

Before he left to America, Masaru had helped her design it. With Asami giving input on the fashion aspect of it.

" _I know you're training to be a hero,"_ The older woman had said. " _But that doesn't mean you should look like someone's grandma while doing it,"_

She put her costume on effortlessly and grinned at the snug feel it had.

A sleeveless form-fitting bodysuit hugged whatever curves she had, leaving her legs sorely exposed in the process. A dark red bat symbol had been placed underneath her nonexistent breast.

To make up for the exposure of her legs, however, Masaru had designed black thigh high boots, with dark red lacing for Chiyo to wear. It was made of a rough, stretchy, material that wouldn't interfere with Chiyo's fighting style.

" _You use kicks right?"_ Masaru had questioned as he poured over his notes. " _Then this will be perfect,"_

It had been Asami's idea for there to be dark red lacing. Masaru had initially wanted her costume to be all black. The two had bickered over it constantly.

" _Red will bring out her eyes-"_

" _This isn't a fuckin' fashion contest!"_

In the end, however, Masaru had just given up. Arguing with Asami was a _bad_ idea.

She had black fingerless gloves, that left her long fingernails exposed. Attached to her thighs, were two black holsters, that were home to two daggers.

Hawks used his feather as blades more often than not, and he had trained Chiyo in a similar way.

Red feathers raced through her mind, and Chiyo felt herself grin effortlessly.

 _(She was going to make that asshole proud-)_

To finish her costume off were a pair of dark red goggles, and a long black trench coat surrounding her. Due to her quirk, she was very good when it came to sneaking around. It was one of the main reasons Masaru had wanted her costume to be all black. She was glad Asami had some say in it, however. If Masaru had his way, her hero costume would've been a black _bag_.

" _Look Shrimp,"_ he had said before he boarded his plane. " _I know I joke about it, but men are_ _ **evil**_ _. If you do get a boyfriend, make sure the princess at least approves of him. She's the only one I actually trust when it comes to that sort of thing,"_

Masago had used to hate the nickname, 'princess'. But over the years she had grown used to it. Her family was incredibly rich, so the nickname did have some merit to it.

Chiyo looked herself over one more time and went out to join her classmates.

Mina grinned at her the moment she walked out.

"We all look so cool!" Mina gushed. "Like real heroes!"

Chiyo found herself agreeing wholeheartedly.

Chiyo surveyed the other students, and froze once she saw something green rush out.

The boy from before, the one who had gotten the last place in the quirk assessment test had one of the best costumes Chiyo had ever seen.

 _(He looks just like a bunny-)_

After putting some thought into it, Chiyo had eventually realized that the boy named 'Deku' was the same boy that had rushed forward in the Sludge villain incident only ten months prior.

Chiyo wanted to thank him.

 _(That day-what you did helped to motivate me-)_

She… didn't know the best way to approach him yet, however.

Her gaze lingered on the boy for a moment, before turning away abruptly.

 _(A problem for another day-)_

"From here on out!" All Might boomed. "You are all officially heroes!"

Chiyo grinned.

 _(I can do this-)_

* * *

She had been paired with Yao-chin for the exercise. The taller girl moved next to her once she saw that, and gave her a beatific smile.

"I look forward to working with you, Koumori-san-"

"You can call me Chiyo," Chiyo interrupted. "Or Chi, Koumori, Mori. Whatever suits your fancy,"

Yao looked a bit surprised at that, and let out a smile.

"Mori-chan, then" The girl settled on. Chiyo beamed back.

"All right!" All Might exclaimed as everyone found their partners. "The first two pairs to do combat training will be the following," He stuck his hand into two boxes, and pulled out two balls. "Pair A will be the heroes, while pair D will be the villains!"

Chiyo looked on as she watched the blonde guy glare at Deku. The green boy wilted, as Chiyo narrowed her eyes.

 _(Is he… Is he trying to intimidate him before the match even starts?)_

Mina tugged on her trench coat.

"C'mon Chiyo-chan!" Mina said as she pulled her forward. "All Might said to head towards the monitor room,"

Chiyo nodded, as she gave one last glance towards the two boys.

 _(I need to investigate those two some more-)_

Chiyo followed the rest of the class down to the monitor room, and couldn't help but shake the feeling of unease she had.

 _(Why is that kid always so angry? It's so-)_

"As you watch these two teams go at it!" All might stated abruptly. "It would be a good idea for you all to hatch your own strategies, as well!"

Chiyo nodded at that and looked towards Yao. The black haired girl was already a step ahead of her, however.

"Mori-chan," She whispered. "I have a plan, but due to the fact that we don't know who we're up against, I think it would be best for me to hold off on telling it to you right this moment,"

"Understood," Chiyo replied. "But… Yao-chin. I have a plan as well. Yours might be a bit better, but maybe we can combine them?"

Yao nodded her head.

"Of course," She replied as her eyes strayed back to the screen. Chiyo looked towards it as well.

Blondie with anger issues(Chiyo wasn't even going to bother saying his name) had hit Deku and Ochako with a surprise attack. Breaking Deku's mask in the process. Chiyo scowled heavily.

"I hope Deku kicks his ass-"

"Language please, young Koumori!" All Might stated, his eyes never leaving the screen. Chiyo scowled even more but held her tongue.

"A surprise attack isn't manly at all!" Shima exclaimed, causing Chiyo to nod her head.

"Ambushes are a very good strategy!" All Might disagreed. "When you go out to do actual hero work, you must take any chance you can get!"

Chiyo crossed her arms and agreed with the man begrudgingly. She scowled as she saw the blondes anger increase even more.

 _(I still hate him-)_

* * *

Chiyo's mouth parted in horror at the sight of the aftermath.

Even though they had won the exercise, Deku and Ochako were both worse for wear.

Blondie just stood there. Shock coloring his features. Chiyo felt a bit vindicated by that.

 _(Maybe you'll finally stop being so insufferable-)_

From their facial expressions and the way they looked at each other, Chiyo knew the two boys had a history.

Bakugou looked down on Deku, which most likely meant that he had been a bully of sorts to the green haired boy.

But… Deku called the blonde 'Kacchan' which could also mean that the boys were very close.

 _(Maybe they had a falling out before school started-)_

"I would say," All Might started off. "That the M.V.P. of this match was Iida! Can anyone tell me why-"

Yao launched into a very detailed explanation, causing everyone in the room to look at her in shock. All Might was speechless. Yao looked up at All Might expectantly, afterward.

"Did I miss anything?" She questioned innocently.

"Well… I would add that Iida was a bit stiff. But you were correct!" he replied giving Yao a thumbs up.

They had all been a bit cowed after watching the first match, but Shima broke the silence.

"All right!' he exclaimed as he pumped his fist. "I'm all pumped up now!" He gave Chiyo a grin. "Let's do our best K-Chiyo!'

Chiyo smiled and pumped her fist as well.

"Do you even need to ask?" She said haughtily. All Might let out a laugh at that, but Chiyo could see that he was still thinking about the previous match.

 _(You were so invested in Deku-How do you know him-)_

"That's the spirit!" The muscular man said as he stuck his hand back into the boxes. "The next teams will be Pair C as the villains, and Pair F as the heroes! Good luck,"

Chiyo perked up at that and gave Yao a grin that was all teeth.

"Ready to kick some ass, Yao?" Yao's eyes widened slightly, before nodding her head.

"Of course, "

* * *

Chiyo and Yao stood next to the weapon, observing it slightly.

"So… this is what we're protecting?" Chiyo questioned as she touched the weapon lightly. Yao nodded her head, as she created multiple metal barriers.

"Mori-chan," Yao started off. "My plan was to barricade the doors so that the 'heroes' wouldn't be able to make contact. All Might never said we had to engage them,"

Chiyo nodded, as she emitted slight screeches from her mouth. She strained her ears and closed her eyes. She could feel Yao looking at her.

"Mori-chan… what are you doing?" Yao questioned curiously as she created more barriers. Chiyo just grinned.

"Echolocation," Chiyo explained rapidly. "It allows me to gain a 'visual' of the area. The 'heroes are exactly three floors below us, and they're moving fast," Chiyo looked directly at Yao. "Your idea is amazing Yao, but I don't think we'll have enough time to barricade the door properly,"

Yao bit her lip worriedly.

"You're right-"

"Which means that I should go and hold them off,": Chiyo finished. "You protect the weapon, and I can go and capture them,"

"By yourself? Mori-chan I'm not sure-"

"Hey," Chiyo interrupted as she flexed her right arm. "I'm strong Yao. You're not the only recommended student here,"

Yao stared at Chiyo for a moment, before sighing.

"But-"

"Do you trust me?"

"W-what?"

"Yao," Chiyo said slowly, her red eyes boring through the taller girl. "Do you trust me?"

Yao stared at her for a moment, before nodding hesitantly.

"Good luck Mori-chan," Yao stated as she got the barriers ready. Chiyo just smiled.

"Won't need it," Chiyo replied cockily, before giving Yao a cheeky grin. "But thanks, "

* * *

Chiyo stood at the base of the hall, waiting for the heroes to make their appearance.

They were up against Tooru, and a very plain looking boy named Ojiro.

Ojiro attacked first.

The boy was very fast, Chiyo realized as she dodged his attacks.

 _(But not as fast as Hawks-)_

Chiyo backflipped out the way and threw one of her daggers towards Ojiro. As she expected, the boy moved to the right, unknowingly crashing into Tooru on his way down.

The girl shrieked and pushed Ojiro off of her. The boy was beet red.

 _(She's naked isn't she? Makes sense, but not the best idea-)_

As her opponents gathered themselves, Chiyo massaged her throat.

 _("Come on brat. Let it all out. All those feelings of frustration, anger, hurt. Use it to your advantage-")_

While she wasn't able to control it properly yet, Chiyo did have a bit of a trump card.

She knew she wouldn't be able to fight the two for long. Ojiro was talented when it came to close combat, and she wouldn't be able to locate Tooru if she was busy fighting Ojiro. Therefore she had to do this.

As Ojiro narrowed his eyes, Chiyo stretched her arms towards the ceiling.

 _(Bird-brain this better work-)_

Chiyo _**screamed.**_

The vibrations from her scream shook the building. Ojiro held his ears, as he struggled to stay in place. She could only assume Tooru was doing the same.

Once she was finished, she coughed harshly. Holding her mouth so she wouldn't heave out all her stomach contents.

Ojiro fell to the ground, and she could hear Tooru doing the same.

Chiyo smiled weakly, as she pulled out a pair of handcuffs that she had asked Yao to make. She cuffed the two together.

" **The villain team wins!"** All Might boomed over the intercom. Chiyo massaged her throat some more.

 _(I still have some work to do-)_

* * *

Chiyo yawned as she woke up from her slumber.

After the match, Ojiro and Tooru had been taken to the infirmary. While she wasn't as bad off as they were, her throat was in a bad state.

After giving her a kiss, Recovery girl had given her a reprimanding look and mumbled about how troublesome the first years were this year. The elderly woman had ordered her to sleep it off.

She could hear people talking.

She opened the curtains to her hospital bed abruptly, only to see Recovery Girl, and… Toshinori-san staring at her with wide eyes.

(What is he doing here?)

"O-oh!' The man stated sheepishly. "Young… Komori, right? I didn't realize you went to UA?"

Recovery Girl was staring at the man with the utmost annoyance.

"Umm… yeah. I'm in the hero course," Chiyo let out as she looked towards Deku lying on the hospital bed. "Will Deku be alright? And Ojiro and Tooru-"

Recovery Girl nodded her head and plopped a candy into Chiyo's hand.

"Of course they will dearie," She said as she patted Chiyo's cheek. "Mashirao-kun and Hagakure-kun are already fully healed. Now run back to class,"

Chiyo nodded and sent Toshinori-san a slight glare. The man looked taken aback.

 _(I don't know who you are. But I don't have a good feeling-)_

"Toshinori-san," Chiyo drawled. "What brings you to UA?" The man laughed nervously at that.

"I'm an advisor to the school," he replied nervously. "I love shaping the next generation of heroes,"

Chiyo nodded and narrowed her eyes even more.

 _(Why was he crouching down? Was he embarrassed by what he was wearing?)_

"Well… have a nice day, I guess," Chiyo stated as she walked out of the room. "I hope to see you around more Toshinori-san,"

The man just waved back nervously.

"Of course Young Komori!"

 _(I don't know what happened between you and Hiroto, but if you hurt him in any way I'll-)_

Her smile was all teeth, as she walked back to class.

* * *

 _Fun fact: Chiyo is_ **barely** _five feet tall. Making her the second shortest person in the class(next to Mineta). She's very sensitive about this fact._

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 12! A lot happened this chapter, and I definitely hope you guys enjoyed it! I want to take the time to thank all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed. We passed _100_ favorites last chapter, and _200_ follows this chapter! I appreciate you guys so much!

Things you guys said:

 **I hope the ship isn't obvious.** While I am taking suggestions for who Chiyo will be paired with, the person I have in mind definitely isn't someone we usually see.

 **Chiyo needs to open up.** She really does. One of Chiyo's main faults is that she doesn't like sharing things about herself. She's never even told anyone about Hanami and Toga. Will this change in the future? You'll just have to keep reading.

 **I don't sympathize with Shinsou's anger.** Shinsou may seem a bit childish right now, but his anger is valid. Chiyo always told Shinsou he'd be better off not being a hero. Now that she suddenly wants to be a hero, after years of discouraging him from doing it… I think anyone would be pissed.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What do you guys think of Chiyo's costume? (Chiyo as a hero in general)

What questions do you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I love reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

Chiyo looked down at the canvas in front of her and scowled at what she had been able to create.

Ever since the day her mother had drawn her, Chiyo practiced drawing whenever she had downtime. It was something that they would do _together_ whenever she went to visit Nadeshiko.

Now… Chiyo usually wasn't one to toot her own horn. But she usually excelled at whatever she put her mind to.

Drawing, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

Art required different perspectives. It required you to put whatever you were feeling into your work.

When it came to emotions and feelings, Chiyo was illiterate.

That was why she wasn't happy with her art. While multiple people had told her that she was talented, and would only get more talented with time, Chiyo didn't agree with them.

Her art lacked the emotion that her mother was able to express. It lacked the _soul_.

Chiyo pushed her canvas off to the side and got ready for school.

As she brushed her hair, Chiyo couldn't help but observe herself in the mirror.

 _(Weak, fragile, useless-)_

Chiyo slapped her cheeks.

She had tried to change it over the years, tried to ignore it. But she couldn't change the facts.

 _(You're a weak girl who couldn't even save your friends-)_

She wasn't naive enough to believe that Toga could still be alive. The constant testing and experiments would have destroyed her body eventually if Adachi didn't destroy it himself.

His green eyes still haunted her to this day.

 _(She was being held down, cut open-)_

It was why she had to become a hero. To get rid of all the Adachis in the world. To save all the Togas suffering abuse from someone they were supposed to _trust_. To save all the Hanamis that were waiting for a hero to come.

To find the answer she was looking for.

 _(What does it mean to truly be a hero-)_

She could hear Hiroto calling her.

As she went down the stairs, she froze in her tracks at the sight of a very short, elderly man. He grinned up at her.

"Who are you?" he questioned eagerly. Chiyo bowed lowly, her wings folded behind her.

"Chiyo Koumori, sir," She introduced. "It's a pleasure to meet you,"

The man stared at her for a moment, before smiling once more.

"Who are you?" he questioned again. Chiyo stared at him blankly for a moment, before turning towards Hiroto. The man just sighed.

"He's just messing with you Chiyo," Hiroto replied. "This is Sorahiko. An old friend of mine,"

Chiyo nodded her head and bowed once more.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, Sorahiko-san," Chiyo stated as she put on her shoes. "But I must be going-"

"UA right?" The man said gruffly, breaking from the carefree persona he had displayed only moments ago. Chiyo blinked and nodded.

"I- yes-"

"I heard you're recommended," Sorahiko said as he stroked his chin. "You must have some talent then,"

"I'd like to think so-"

"Chiyo," Hiroto interrupted. "I thought you said you were late,"

Chiyo looked at the clock and cursed.

"Shit-"

"And no flying to school," Hiroto stated as he gazed down at the Shogi board. "Take the train like you're supposed to,"

" _Fine,"_ Chiyo gritted out as she pressed a kiss to Hiroto's cheek, and promptly ran out the door. "See ya later,"

Sorahiko waved, as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

"So that's the girl from the lab-"

" _Yes,"_ Hiroto gritted out. "Your move,"

Sorahiko just stared at the man.

"... Is that why you took her in-"

" _Hiko,"_ Hiroto stressed. "Your move,"

"You retired for a reason, Hiro-"

"I know," Hiroto stressed. "I know and yet… when Shiro brought me her case. I got pulled back in,"

Sorahiko sighed and looked down towards the Shogi board. Hiroto ran a hand through his hair.

"I just… I know _he_ has something to do with what happened there,"

"He probably does," Sorahiko replied disinterestedly, already knowing who the man was referring to. Hiroto just massaged his temples.

"That's not the only reason I agreed to take her in-"

"She kinda reminds me of Nana," Sorahiko interrupted. Hiroto froze.

 _("Why so serious Hiro?")_

"They don't look the same necessarily," Sorahiko said after some contemplation. "But that girl has a very strong presence. I think Nana would have liked her,"

Hiroto stared down at the Shogi board for a few more moments, before sighing.

"I need a drink-"

"It's not your fault Hiro," Sorahiko said bluntly. "You need to let it go. Let _her_ go,"

Hiroto just scoffed, as he went to pour himself some beer.

 _(If it were that easy, he would've done it a long time ago-)_

* * *

Chiyo froze at the sight in front of her.

Multiple reporters swarmed around her. Flashing cameras in her face.

 _(She hated large crowds-)_

"What's it like having All Might as a teacher?" One reporter asked excitedly. Chiyo found she couldn't speak.

 _(Stop-I can't-)_

Chiyo felt her heart beating faster and faster. She attempted to open her mouth but found that no words would come out.

 _(She_ _ **hated**_ _large crowds-)_

Someone pulled her out of the limelight. She looked up, only to see dual colored hair in front of her. Tugging her along.

 _(Todoroki?)_

He tugged her along until they made it safely to the hallway. Chiyo dropped to her knees.

"T-thank you-"

"Don't thank me," Todoroki said abruptly, as he walked to class. "It wouldn't have looked good if you fainted on live television,"

Chiyo furrowed her brow at that and resisted the urge to flip him off.

 _(Just when I think he's not as much of an asshole as I thought he was, he proves me wrong-)_

"Bastard," Chiyo mumbled when she made sure he was out of earshot.

She gathered her belongings and walked to class as well.

* * *

She was awoken by a very hard material holding her head up. Aizawa stared at her with red eyes.

"I know you're not sleeping in my class, Koumori," He said slowly. Chiyo shook her head.

"Of course not," Chiyo said nervously, taking her sunglasses off. "I was admiring the desk,"

 _(Aizawa was scary-)_

Kaminari and Sero both snorted at that, and Chiyo resisted the urge to flip them off.

Aizawa stared at her for a moment, before sighing and loosening the bandages on her head.

"As I was saying," He replied with a pointed look towards Chiyo. "Midoriya. Your quirk could be extremely useful if you learned to control it. You can't be incapacitated every time,"

Chiyo looked towards the green haired boy and saw his resolve strengthen slightly. Aizawa sighed and turned to address the entire class.

"It's time to pick a class representative,"

Chiyo slinked down in her seat, as her fellow classmates reveled at the idea.

In middle school, due to her quiet demeanor and good grades, she had always been chosen to take on the role.

It hadn't exactly been a fun time for her.

There were times when she had been forced to stay after school, and talk to people she _didn't_ want to talk to. Work on things she _didn't_ want to work on, and be in places she _didn't_ want to be.

She wasn't going through that hell again.

"Everyone!" Four eyes(Iida, Chiyo remembered) exclaimed. "Please quiet down! The job of the class representative is not an easy one! It requires the trust of everyone around you-"

Chiyo tuned him out but took note of how his hand was raised the highest.

 _(I guess he would fit the role-)_

"I don't care," Aizawa replied. "Just decide by the time I wake up from my nap,"

Chiyo looked on incredulously, as the man pulled out a sleeping bag and promptly went to sleep.

"He can nap, but I can't?" Chiyo asked, as her eyes widened. "That's just unfair,"

"You don't want to be class rep again?" Shima questioned, with a surprised look on his face. Chiyo's expression soured.

"Nope," Chiyo said with a pop. "I hated it in middle school, and I'll hate it now,"

"You were so good at it though!" Shima exclaimed. "People listened to you,"

"Only because they thought that I would kick their ass if they didn't," Chiyo said waspishly.

She hadn't been one to get into fights during middle school. But during her first year, a group of girls thought it would be a funny idea to hide her shoes.

The whole ordeal had ended with the girls gaining multiple scratch marks on their faces, and Chiyo gaining the respect of the student body. Apparently, the girls hadn't been very well liked.

A lot of people were scared of her after that.

 _(She wasn't a calm person, no matter what she may have looked like. She got pissed easily-)_

"Everyone! Place your vote!" Iida stated, as he furiously wrote down his pick. With a resigned sigh, Chiyo looked down at the piece of paper.

 _(Who deserves it the most-)_

Chiyo observed her classmates until her eyes landed on a mess of curly green hair.

 _(It has to be him-)_

Chiyo folded her paper after she was done, and smiled slightly.

"Who'd you vote for?" Han-chan questioned, as he too folded his paper. Chiyo just stuck out her tongue.

"None of your business," She said sticking her nose up. The boy let out a laugh.

"Y'know, when I first saw you, I thought you kinda looked like a porcelain doll," Han-chan admitted, before snickering. "The effect gets ruined whenever you open your mouth though,"

Kaminari and Kirishima both busted out laughing at that. Chiyo just rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from twitching up slightly.

 _(You're making friends- this is good-)_

* * *

"Who the hell voted for Deku?!" Blondie with anger issues yelled as he stood from his seat. Chiyo snorted, causing the blonde to turn his fiery gaze onto her.

"You got a problem vampire?" He questioned threateningly. Chiyo faltered at the familiar nickname, before pasting a cheery grin onto her face.

"Well yeah," Chiyo replied straightening herself out. "I don't see why you're so surprised when Deku seems like a _way_ better guy than you are,"

Midoriya seemed to short circuit as he was processing what Chiyo just said.

"Kacchan's getting made fun of?" He mumbled as the aforementioned blonde seemed to bust a blood vessel.

" _You wanna go-"_

"Bakugou, sit down," Aizawa said with an annoyed expression on his face. "Midoriya and Yaoyorozu come to the front,"

Midoriya and Yaoyorozu stood at the front of the class. Midoriya was trembling, but Yaoyorozu looked completely in her element.

 _(She really is perfect-)_

"The class rep is Midoriya, while the Deputy is Yaoyorozu," Aizawa called out.

"I'm fine with Midoriya-chan," Tsuyu said thoughtfully. Kirishima nodded in agreement.

"Midoriya seems like a real stand up guy!"

Chiyo didn't voice it out loud, but she silently agreed with what her classmates were saying. She could see that Iida was a bit depressed, but was silently nodding his head towards Midoriya anyway. Her eyes widened slightly.

 _(Even though four eyes wanted it himself, he still voted for Deku-)_

Maybe Iida wasn't as bad as she had thought.

* * *

She had been walking with Mina and Jirou when the alarm had gone off.

Chiyo immediately went on the defensive and strained her ears in search of whatever the trouble was.

 _(It was static-She couldn't-her mind was getting blurry-)_

Chiyo groaned and massaged her temple.

Jirou looked at her with a great deal of worry in her eyes.

"You alright," She called over the ruckus. Everyone was _moving too fast-_

 _(She was back at the lab-They were all running in search of freedom-She_ _ **hated**_ _large crowds-)_

"Chiyo," Mina said, her arm steadying the shorter girl. "Are you alright? I know you don't like crowds but-"

Chiyo tuned Mina out and tried to focus on something else.

 _(Quiet. Focus on something quiet and you'll be okay-)_

Chiyo was getting swept along into the crowd. Her wings were getting _crushed._

She struggled to push herself off to the side, so she could have some room to _think_. She ended up crashing into something solid.

Red eyes glared down at her.

 _(Out of all people why did it have to be_ _ **him**_ _-)_

"Fucking Vampire," Bakugou sneered. "You look like you're about to wet your pants,"

Chiyo didn't answer him and focused on breathing in and out.

 _("Whenever you're scared just do these exercises-")_

"The fuck is wrong with you?" He questioned harshly. Chiyo just glared at him.

"None of your business blondie," She sneered, as she tried to get away from him. She found that no matter what she did, however, she kept getting pushed back into him.

 _(Today is not my day-)_

Blondie scoffed and tugged on Chiyo's arm quite harshly. He threw her to the side, and she finally had room to _breathe_.

She fluttered her wings slightly and looked at the Blonde with a bit of surprise coloring her features.

"Fucking embarrassing is what you are," Blondie cursed as he glared at all the students. "It's just the fucking press,"

Chiyo blinked, before letting her shoulders sag.

 _(That actually made a lot of sense-)_

"Thank you," Chiyo said earnestly. Blondie just glared down at her.

"Shut up, shrimp,"

Chiyo's eyes widened before an unexpected laugh escaped her.

 _(Only one person had ever called her shrimp-)_

"Is it shrimp or vampire?" Chiyo questioned cheekily, as the noise blared around them. Bakugou tensed.

"How about _fucking annoying_ -"

Chiyo was about to retort but froze upon the sound of a familiar voice. She looked up, only to see Iida on top of the emergency exit sign.

 _(What the hell is he doing-)_

" **Everybody calm down!"** Iida yelled. " **It's just the press! You're at UA, let's conduct ourselves in a manner of those befitting the highest academia!"**

Chiyo's jaw dropped, as people stopped pushing against each other. The noise lessened, and Chiyo found herself taking a breath of relief.

 _(Finally-)_

The crowd seemed to finally start moving along, and Chiyo went along with it. Making sure not to get too close.

Blondie(Baku-chin, Chiyo decided) walked in front of her, and only cursed slightly when she held onto the back of his jacket so she wouldn't get swept up once more. A slight smile overtook her features.

 _(He looked scared- He's kinda like-)_

"You're not that bad Baku-chin-"

"Oh, _fuck you,_ "

* * *

Midoriya and Yaoyorozu stood at the front of the class once more. Midoriya cleared his throat.

"I-It's time to pick class officers," Midoriya said, trembling slightly. "But.. before that…. I think that Tenya Iida should be class representative!"

Chiyo sighed but nodded her head. Iida seemed to freeze.

"He does know how to control a crowd," Chiyo realized, as she looked down at her fingernails.

 _(I really need to paint these-)_

Kirishima just nodded his head.

"I agree," the redhead replied. "Sides, Midoriya's vouching for him and he did help to control the cafeteria earlier on,"

"He looked like the guy on top of the emergency exit sign!"

Their classmates all seemed to agree with the verdict, and Iida stood up dramatically.

"If the class rep has nominated me," Iida said slowly "Then it can't be helped. I will carry on my duties as the Class representative from this day forth!"

"Don't let us down, class rep," Chiyo stated as she looked down at her pencil. Iida nodded his head.

"You can count on me, Koumori-kun!"

"We're counting on you Emergency Exit!"

"I won't let you down!"

Chiyo smiled slightly and fiddled with her piercings for a moment.

 _(He's a bit high strung, but he's earnest as well. He won't be too bad-)_

"Koumori-kun!" Iida called out. "This isn't the time to be sleeping! Head up!"

Chiyo scowled and pushed herself up on the desk. Kirishima struggled to hold in his laughter.

 _(I take it back-)_

* * *

Chiyo pasted another fake smile on her face, as yet another customer came in to pick up their purchase.

She let out a sigh, as yet _another_ customer asked her how old she was. With gritted teeth, Chiyo had to physically restrain herself as yet _another_ customer was shocked as she answered '15'.

 _(She wasn't that short-)_

As she heard the door to the store open once more, Chiyo pasted her signature smile onto her face.

"Welcome to _Sinful Temptations-_ "

She froze upon the sight of bright green eyes and a mess of curly hair.

Midoriya stared at her in shock.

"K-Koumori-san," he questioned, walking into the store. "I- I didn't know you worked here,"

Chiyo just smiled and nodded her head.

"My sister owns the store," Chiyo replied. "It's a nice gig, pays pretty well,"

Midoriya nodded his head, as they stood in an awkward silence for a bit.

 _(I know I wanted to talk to him, but now that I'm actually getting the chance I have no idea what to say-)_

"Let's see…. You're here for 'Inko Midoriya' right?" Chiyo questioned. Midoriya nodded his head. Chiyo went to wrap the dessert and hummed a random tune to fill the silence.

"You have a very nice voice, Koumori-san," Midoriya replied, most likely trying to make small talk. Chiyo smiled at that.

"Thanks, but I'm not that good-"

"No, it's really soothing!" Midoriya interrupted, before blushing slightly. Chiyo blinked at that, before laughing slightly.

"You're a nice guy, Deku-chin," Chiyo replied. "What you did for Iida was really nice too," Midoriya rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, Iida is more suited to it than I am. He's also more confident. Plus he's wanted it since the beginning and he knew how to control-"

Chiyo snorted and waved a hand.

"Take a breather, why don't ya," Chiyo replied much to the boy's embarrassment. "I swear you're just like-"

 _(She had been_ _**covered in red**_ _-Grey eyes looked at her with so much_ _ **admiration**_ _-"I_ _ **love you**_ _Chiyo-chan-")_

Chiyo froze and looked down at her hands blankly for a moment. Midoriya looked at her worriedly.

"Are you alright Koumori-san-"

A loud noise was heard from outside the store. Midoriya jumped slightly, and Chiyo narrowed her eyes.

"Those _bastards_ -"

"Koumori-san," Midoriya interrupted, as Chiyo fumed. "What's going on?"

Chiyo didn't give him a response at first and picked up a broomstick. She gave Midoriya a feral grin.

"Deku-chin, stay in here and call the police would ya?" Chiyo ordered as she went to the door. "Some assholes have been causing commotion outside the store for _months_. They're interfering with business-"

"You can't go by yourself!" Midoriya interrupted. "What if-"

"They're just some punks," Chiyo reassured, patting his shoulder. "I'll be fine-"

"It's reckless-"

"I'm not some weakling-"

All of a sudden, the noise stopped. Chiyo's head snapped up, as she went outside, ignoring Midoriya's calls. A blonde woman was standing off to the side, trembling.

"Miss!" Chiyo called out, broomstick in hand. "What happened? Are you alright-"

The blonde woman grabbed onto Chiyo and sniffled.

"I-I'm fine," She replied. "I just-"

The woman could barely finish her sentence, and Chiyo's eyes narrowed some more.

"Did you see who did this to you?" Chiyo questioned, rubbing soothing circles onto the woman's back. The woman nodded.

"I-someone chased them off," The woman replied, rubbing her eyes. "He was a really big guy,"

Chiyo nodded and surveyed the area. She emitted light screeches and tensed when she found someone walking down the alleyway.

"Deku!" Chiyo called out. "Could you stay with her, please? Call the police too,"

"Koumori-san _wait_ -"

Chiyo didn't heed his call and ran in search of the man.

 _(I need him to tell me where the guys went- They've been terrorizing people for too long-The police need to handle them-)_

Chiyo skirted in front of an alleyway and called out when she saw a large figure.

"Hey!" Chiyo yelled. "Where did those guys go-"

"You don't need to worry about them anymore," The man interrupted gruffly. Chiyo scowled at the interruption.

"Look, I'm grateful you took care of them, but the police need to handle-"

"They won't be bothering you again," The man replied once more. Chiyo took note of the blood that graced his knuckles.

"Did-did you kill them or something?" Chiyo questioned worriedly. "They were just some teenage punks-"

"I didn't kill them," The man replied. "I just took care of them,"

 _(Like that isn't vague at all-)_

"Could you at least tell me your name?' Chiyo called out, as the man continued walking. He didn't respond at first, and Chiyo sighed. She made to turn around-

"Knuckle Duster," the man replied as he walked into the shadows. Chiyo tested the name out on her tongue and smiled.

"Thank you!" Chiyo called out, waving towards his retreating back. "Come by the bakery, and I'll give you free dessert anytime,"

The man disappeared, and Chiyo was left looking at the spot he had just vacated in slight wonder.

She had heard of vigilantes but had never really had the chance to see them in person. She had always heard mixed reviews about them.

Some called them wannabe heroes who needed to be taken care of, others calling them blessings in disguise.

 _(Didn't the entire hero society start off due to the work of vigilantes-)_

She heard feet moving closer to her.

"Koumori-san!" Deku called out, worry evident in his bright eyes. "You can't just run off like that! What if-"

Chiyo pulled his cheeks to stop him from talking.

"Sorry about that Deku-chin," Chiyo said sheepishly. "That _was_ a bit reckless. And drop the _san_ why don't ya? I'm not some grandma,"

Midoriya rubbed his cheeks and nodded his head slightly.

"Alright Koumori-sa- _Koumori_ ," Midoriya corrected when Chiyo threatened to pinch his cheeks again. The smaller girl smiled.

"Your desserts on the house, by the way," Chiyo replied as they walked back to the bakery. "I can't exactly make you pay after all _that_ now, can I?" Deku shook his head immediately.

"I- I don't mind-"

"Nope," Chiyo said, making a popping noise. "No matter what you say I'm not taking your money,"

"That's not exactly good for business, Koumori-san,"

"What did I say about adding the _san_?"

* * *

 _Fun Fact: Chiyo's hobbies consist of singing, drawing, and listening to music._

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 13! This chapter wasn't very action-packed, but I promise to make it up to you guys soon. We're getting closer to USJ! I want to thank all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed. I love you guys, and I love the fact that you enjoy my writing! I also want to give a shout out to **Oblivious ninja IJ** for the amazing list of hero names they gave me last chapter. Unfortunately, I already have a hero name picked out for Chiyo, but some of the options you have did make me reconsider a bit.

Things you guys said:

 **Was that Mirio last chapter?** You are correct. The boy we saw the last chapter was Mirio, and he will appear again soon.

 **Does the pairing have to be male?** The pairing I have in mind _is_ male, but as I said before I am open to suggestions.

 **Will she be involved with the stain arc?** You'll just have to wait and see….

 **Will Chiyo seek out help for her quirk(Her sonic scream to be exact):** She will... _eventually_. Chiyo isn't the type of person that typically likes asking for help, but she'll realize that she needs it soon enough.

 **Who will Chiyo be interning with?** You will have to wait and see…

 **I'm worried about how functional Chiyo's trench coat is? Also, I don't think she's suited for stealth operations.** I'm actually really glad you said this. Chiyo's costume and the type of hero she wants to be will change over the course of the story. The trench coat isn't the best idea, and Masaru actually advised Chiyo against wearing it. But she liked the way it looked and therefore ignored his advice. As for her being a stealth hero, Chiyo is pretty good at sneaking around. Thanks to the use of her echolocation, she can locate the best areas to hide in or go through. She definitely won't be doing undercover operations(such as pretending to be someone else or using multiple identities. You were right when you said that her quirk makes her recognizable.) but she'll be scouted for retrieval missions. I might not have been clear enough in my explanation. Sorry about that!

 **I feel really bad for Shinsou. When will he and Chiyo make up?** Don't worry, good things will come Shinsou's way. As for when he and Chiyo make up… that would be a spoiler wouldn't it?

 **Will Chiyo get sound based equipment like Jirou or Present Mic?** Chiyo will be getting some sort of equipment, I won't go into too much detail, however.

 _(When it comes to doing these responses, I don't copy your comments word for word. Sometimes I even combine them. I hope I answered all the questions you guys had!)_

Questions I have for you guys:

What characters would you like to see Chiyo interact with?

What questions do you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I love reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

" _It's not your fault Chiyo-"_

" _Yes, it_ _ **is**_ _!" The girl cried out, furiously rubbing her eyes. "I… I left her there! If I had been able to get her out then- then maybe she wouldn't be like this!"_

 _Chiyo, who had turned 11 years old not too long ago, had just gone to visit her mother._

 _It hadn't been a pretty sight._

 _Upon first seeing her, Nadeshiko had attempted to attack Chiyo. Only relenting after being held back by multiple guards._

 _("Don't let anyone break you Chiyo-")_

" _You did what you could," Umeko replied firmly. "You were lucky to get out alive yourself. Nadeshiko had already been through the wringer-"_

" _It's my fault-"_

" _Why is it your fault?" Umeko questioned softly. Her obsidian eyes_ _ **burning**_ _in a way that Chiyo wished her own would._

 _(I left her there-She deserves this second chance more than me-She had been_ _ **covered in red**_ _-)_

" _This isn't about just Nadeshiko… is it?" Umeko questioned, fiddling with her piercings._

 _Chiyo froze._

 _(I can't-I'm not ready-)_

" _Chiyo," Umeko said softly, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Can I tell you something?"_

" _What-"_

" _You're sensational," Umeko said bluntly. "You're smart, kind, talented-"_

" _I'm not-"_

" _You are," Umeko promised. "Have you ever thought that maybe there was a reason you didn't perish in the lab. A reason why all seven of you are still here?"_

 _Chiyo shook her head._

" _I have this talent," Umeko said, as she stretched out her arms. "Y'see, this may sound stupid, but… I can just_ _ **tell**_ _when people are destined to do great things. It's almost like a sixth sense,"_

 _Chiyo looked towards Umeko in slight wonder, stifling her sobs as the older woman reached forward to ruffle her hair. The grin Umeko gave her was blinding._

" _You, my dear, are destined for great things, "_

* * *

Chiyo's jaw dropped, as Mina and she made their way into the classroom. As expected, Iida was already there.

"How do you get here so early?" Chiyo questioned, placing her bag down on the table. "I swear you live here," Iida pushed his glasses up his nose.

"As class representative, I must set an example!" The boy exclaimed, making very excessive hand motions. "What kind of representative would I be if I got here even a second later?!"

Chiyo just nodded her head slowly, as she took her seat.

She had used to find Iida annoying, overbearing even. But she found that she had been wrong in her conclusion.

He was just a really hard worker that wanted to follow in his older brother's, his idol's, footsteps, That was something she could respect.

Mina sidled up next to her desk.

"Hey, hey! A new cafe opened up down the street from the bakery. Wanna go after school today?"

Chiyo's ears perked up at that.

"New competition," Chiyo mumbled, as she made a mental note to tell Asami about it later. "Oh well, whatever cafe this is can't hold a candle to _Sinful Temptations_ ,"

"I don't know," Mina replied, before giggling. "I heard the waiters are pretty cute-"

"Ashido-kun!" Iida interrupted. "Please take your seat, as we wait for homeroom to start!"

Mina's shoulders sagged, but she went back to her seat without complaint. Chiyo tried and failed, to hold in a snort at that.

 _(When you're not the one being yelled at, it's actually kind of funny-)_

Jirou waved an ear jack at the both of them as she walked in, and Chiyo grinned up at her.

"Did you listen to Pop Step's new song?" Chiyo questioned, laughing as Jirou visibly shuddered.

"I couldn't do it. Her songs have no _meaning_ ," The girl replied, as she put her bag down. "I don't understand why you like her,"

"Her music is really catchy," Chiyo argued. "She's not the best _vocalist_ necessarily, but you'll get hooked after only a few times of listening,"

"I'll take your word for it," Jirou replied. "What _you_ need to listen to is some rock music,"

"Too loud,"

"That's the point!" Jirou said heatedly. "The noise is what pulls you in-"

"What are you guys talking about?" Kaminari questioned, as he walked in. Chiyo and Jirou both stared at him.

"Pop music or rock music?" They both questioned at the same time. The blonde just blinked.

"Umm…"

"It's a trap," Mina whispered from her seat. "Don't answer,"

The blonde just blinked a few more times, cowering under the two girl's intense gazes.

"I… Both are good?"

Chiyo and Jirou just shook their heads.

"It's obvious he thinks pop is better," Chiyo drawled, fiddling with her piercings. "You were scaring him so he had to say both,"

"I think it's the other way around-"

Chiyo and Jirou argued back and forth for a few moments before Chiyo's head was brought down on the table. Jirou's eyes widened, as she looked to the front.

Aizawa glared at the both of them and tightened the hold on his bandages.

"I told you to _quiet down_ ," The man said, his eyes glowing red. Chiyo just sighed, as she massaged her forehead.

 _(She had the feeling Aizawa didn't like her sometimes-)_

* * *

Chiyo let out a yawn, as her classmates held conversations around her.

They were on their first school field trip. According to Aizawa, they would be training on how to handle natural disasters and rescue operations. Chiyo had grinned when she heard that and tightened her fists.

 _(I can do this-)_

"You're looking awfully cheerful today Chiyo-chan, _ribbit_ ," Tsuyu stated. "It's nice,"

"You think so? I guess I'm just excited," Chiyo replied. "It's like we're doing actual hero work-"

Chiyo froze.

 _(Why… why was she excited by that? She… It's not like she wanted to be a hero because she_ _ **enjoyed**_ _it necessarily. She was just trying to figure some things out. Yeah that was it-)_

Chiyo noticed Tsuyu's eyes on her, and let out a sheepish laugh.

"Sorry, Tsu. I get really caught up in my own head at times,"

"It's alright," The frog girl replied. "You usually have a really blank expression on your face, so it's nice to see you smiling,"

Chiyo just smiled weakly.

 _(She needed to work on that-)_

"I speak my mind," Tsu replied bluntly, before turning to Midoriya. "Midoriya-chan,"

"Y-yes Asui-san?"

"Call me Tsuyu,"

Midoriya looked at her in surprise, before nodding his head meekly.

"Y-yeah,"

"Your quirk is just like All Might's," The blank-faced girl said, with a hint of excitement in her monotone voice.

 _(And she said I have a blank expression-)_

Midoriya jumped at that, and Chiyo hummed in agreement. Midoriya flailed as he tried to deny the claim. Kirishima just laughed and shook his head.

"Hold on Tsuyu. All Might doesn't get hurt when he uses his quirk," The redhead replied, much to the freckled boy's relief. "It is pretty nice to have an augmenting quirk though. It's flashy!"

Kirishima activated his quirk and looked down at his arm somewhat wistfully.

"I'm good in a fight, but not much else- _ow!_ "

Chiyo glared up at the redhead, as she pinched a pressure point in his shoulder.

"Shut up. Your quirks incredibly badass," Chiyo argued, as her wings wilted slightly. "This mutation quirk on the other hand…"

Chiyo would be the first to admit that her quirk gave her a lot of useful abilities. She had gotten over how it affected her appearance ages ago.

Sure there were times when she would look at someone like Yao and wish that _maybe_ her ears weren't pointed. Or that _maybe_ she didn't have grey skin. But, other than that, she didn't let that aspect of her quirk get her down.

But she was annoyed by the fact that her wings were always knocking things over if she didn't remember to pin them together. Or how she would always scratch herself by accident with her long fingernails.

 _(Plus the fact that she was next to useless in the cold-)_

Midoriya shook his head immediately as he looked towards Kirshima earnestly.

"Your quirk's amazing! Definitely suited for a pro," The green haired-boy replied, his eyes shining. He turned his bright gaze onto Chiyo, surprising her a bit.

"Koumori-san, your bat mutation quirk allows you to do a lot of cool things! Your echolocation definitely makes you suited for rescue missions," The boy exclaimed rapidly, his hands raised as if he were writing in an invisible notebook.

Chiyo stared at the boy for a moment, before grinning.

 _(A flash of pink hair-"Your quirk's amazing Chiyo-chan-")_

"You're not bad, Deku," Chiyo stated, as she fiddled with her piercings. "But… since we're on the topic of quirks… you mind if I ask a question about yours?"

The boy froze, before sending her a shaky smile.

"O-of course!"

"Due to the fact, that it hurts you to use it," Chiyo started off slowly. "I'm assuming your quirk manifested a bit later than expected?"

Midoriya nodded his head sheepishly, looking more and more nervous.

 _(Why is he so defensive about it-)_

"Is your quirk just super strength? Or are there more aspects to it-"

Mina flicked her cheek.

"She always gets like this," Mina said cheekily, ignoring the glare Chiyo gave her as she rubbed her cheek. "She tries to hide it, but she's a huge nerd,"

"Just trying to learn more about my classmates," Chiyo argued, dropping the subject after seeing how increasingly uncomfortable the boy was becoming.

 _(Maybe his quirk's a sore subject for him-)_

Aoyama, someone who Chiyo hadn't really been able to talk to, cleared his throat.

"My naval laser is just the right amount of flashy and powerful," The blonde said proudly. Mina just patted his shoulder.

"It's lame you get a stomach ache though," She said comfortingly.

"If we're talking about just flashy and strong," Kirishima started, his grin slowly increasing. "Then it's got to be Todoroki or Bakugou,"

Chiyo agreed begrudgingly. Even though he was prideful, she had to admit that the blonde was strong. The same could be said for the dual eyed bastard.

 _("Get out of my way-"- You really think you're better-)_

Chiyo sighed and tried to push her first encounter with Todoroki out of her mind.

( _Baku-chin had proved that he wasn't as bad as she initially thought. The bastard still had some work to do-)_

"Bakugou-chan's always mad, so he probably won't be popular," Tsuyu stated bluntly, causing Chiyo to give an unladylike snort. Bakugou, who had previously been doing his best to ignore the conversation, stood up abruptly.

" _You wanna go-"_

"See," Tsu replied pointing towards the angry blonde. Chiyo gave Tsuyu a smile.

"We're going to be great friends, Tsu," Chiyo replied happily, ignoring the death glare Bakugou was currently giving her. The frog girl smiled at that.

" _Ribbit,"_

"We've only known each other for a few days," Kaminari, stated as he grinned unrepentant. "So it's pretty funny that we all know your personality is crap mixed with sewage,"

" _Bastard-"_

Midoriya held his head in his hands and was watching the scene with nothing but awe.

"Kacchan's getting made fun of?" He questioned as if he couldn't quite understand what was happening.

Chiyo couldn't take it anymore. Raucous laughter spilled from her lips, as she leaned against Mina's shoulder. The blonde whipped his head in her direction.

" _I'll kick your ass_ _ **vampire-**_ "

"Quiet down,' Aizawa said tiredly. "We're here,"

Chiyo moved to the front so that Bakugou wouldn't try and reach for her.

 _(She wasn't suicidal, thank you very much-)_

She adjusted her goggles and looked upwards. A feeling of trepidation washed over her.

 _(She could do this-)_

* * *

The Space hero: Thirteen, looked over all of them. Chiyo found herself straightening up automatically.

 _(He specializes in rescue-He isn't in it for just the fame-Is he what a hero is supposed to be?)_

"I've been waiting for you all!" The man said cheerfully, as he led them inside. Chiyo observed the man's back.

 _(I need to learn as much as I can-)_

"Mori," Jirou stated. "You're bouncing up and down,"

Chiyo's cheeks warmed up at that, as she immediately forced herself to calm down. Kaminari and Sero snickered at her childish tendencies.

 _(Why are you so excited-This-It's just-_ _ **Calm down**_ _-)_

"Excitement is good," Thirteen replied. "Before we begin, let me say one thing… or two, or three, or four… or _perhaps_ five,"

Chiyo just watched the man incredulously, as he mumbled to himself for a few moments. He eventually gathered his bearings.

"Now, I'm sure you're all aware of my quirk. Black Hole,"

"You use it to save people from all kinds of disasters," Midoriya replied eagerly. Thirteen nodded.

"That's true, but like many others, my quirk also has the ability to kill,"

The mood dampened slightly at that.

"In a superhuman society, quirks have been certified and managed so that it doesn't seem like a problem at first glance," Thirteen started. "But please don't forget that. With Aizawa's physical fitness test you learned the possibilities your quirks possess. With All Might's test, you learned how to utilize your quirks in combat. In this class, you shall learn how to use your quirks to save people's lives,"

Chiyo clenched her fists.

 _(She… she wanted to save people-)_

"I hope you leave here with the understanding that your powers are meant to help others," Thirteen finished off, as he bowed lowly. "Thank you for listening!"

Chiyo clapped along with the class at that.

 _(He's humble-He saves people-This has to be it-)_

Aizawa sighed and moved forward.

"It's time to get started-"

A chill went down Chiyo's spine, as the lights seemed to crackle. The atmosphere changed in an instant. She felt as if she couldn't _breathe_.

 _(This-I've felt this before-It's-)_

 **Killing intent.**

Chiyo immediately sharpened her senses and covered her mouth as she saw a black fog suddenly appear in the center of the room.

 _(Who did they want to kill-Who did she have to protect-)_

"Gather together and don't move!" Aizawa yelled out. "Thirteen protect the students! Kaminari try using your quirk to call for help,"

Chiyo felt her hands start to shake slightly, before gripping her daggers.

 _(Calm down you coward-)_

Multiple people began to exit the fog, a skinny man leading the fray. What walked next to him, made Chiyo freeze in her tracks.

 _(What… what is that-)_

"Wait, sensei!" Midoriya called out. "Eraser head's fighting style is erasing his opponent's quirk and gaining the element of surprise! You can't-"

"You can't be a hero if you only have one trick," Aizawa stated, pulling his goggles down. Chiyo adjusted her own automatically. The tiny girl watched in awe as their scruffy looking homeroom teacher threw himself into the fray.

 _(I misjudged him-)_

Jirou tugged her along, as they all went to evacuate the area. Thirteen leading the pack.

 _(She couldn't get that… that thing out of her head. What was that-)_

" **Forgive our rudeness,"** A voice stated, as a dark fog appeared in front of them. " **But we are the league of villains. We've come to UA high school, this stronghold of heroes,"**

Chiyo wanted to vomit.

" **In order to end the life of the symbol of peace. All Might,"**

Time seemed to freeze at that.

 _(At that moment, multiple things flashed through Chiyo's head. The happiness All Might inspired. The admiration Hinata had for him-"Isn't All Might so cool Chi-")_

Chiyo narrowed her eyes. The shaking in her arms seized, her legs stopped trembling.

 _(I won't let you-)_

Bakugou and Kirishima rushed forward. Attacking the fog as Chiyo watched in mortification.

"Wait!" She called out, moving forward. "You can't just-"

The boys paid her no mind, and Chiyo gritted her teeth.

 _(Why are boys so_ _ **stupid**_ _-)_

Chiyo covered her face, as a flurry of smoke surrounded her. She opened her eyes slowly only to see Bakugou and Kirishima standing triumphantly in front of her.

 _(Did they actually do it-)_

Kirishima grinned, and Chiyo wanted nothing more than to punch him in his face. Bakugou stood there with an incredibly arrogant smirk.

 _(Just because you won doesn't make it any less stupid-)_

"Did you ever think that maybe you'd get defeated by us before you could do anything-"

" **Oh my, that was dangerous,"**

Chiyo unsheathed her daggers in an instant.

 _(This doesn't feel right. This isn't supposed to be happening. They can't actually kill All Might-)_

She may not have been the biggest fan of the symbol of peace, but that didn't mean she wanted him dead.

 _(Hinata would be devastated-)_

" **Now… let me scatter you all to your deaths-"**

Chiyo _**screamed**_.

 _(She never wanted to see another body covered in red-)_

Her wings opened to their full length, and she could feel her feet leaving the ground. The mist… _faltered_ for a moment.

Thirteen immediately activated his quirk.

"Everyone, evacuate!" Thirteen ordered. Iida led the fray, and Chiyo could faintly see Aizawa still going head to head with the villains. The ringleader was rushing towards him.

 _("Chiyo," He had told her one night. "Why do you think I like playing Shogi so much?")_

A dark fog appeared in front of them once more.

 _("You like a lot of weird things Hiroto," Chiyo admitted. "But… I guess shogi is pretty fun,")_

Chiyo narrowed her eyes, and looked at her classmates, her eyes landing on a few in particular.

 _("True," Hiroto admitted, as he moved a piece forward. "But not the only reason. Shogi… Shogi is life,")_

She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins as she moved closer to them.

 _("I think that's an exaggeration-" Chiyo chuckled as she looked down at the board. Her jaw dropped, as she saw that Hiroto had beat her once more. "How'd you-"_

 _Hiroto smiled secretly, as he moved his pawn forward and stole Chiyo's king._

" _Shogi allows you to appreciate even the seemingly weaker pieces," Hiroto replied as he packed the board away. "It allows you to think outside the box. Pawns are the weakest right? So you underutilized, and underestimated every single one of them. If you had taken them into account, then you would have won,")_

The fog appeared in front of them once more, and Chiyo could feel the annoyance rolling off of it in waves.

" **Enough games,"** The voice hissed. " **Now-"**

In an instant, Tsu wrapped her tongue around the heavier members of class A such as Kouda, Sero, Shoji, and Yao to name a few. Swinging them in the complete opposite direction. They soared overhead of Aizawa, who was still fighting the villains diligently. Sero dispensed his tape, keeping them all together.

 _("In Shogi, you have to think. You can't half-ass it," Hiroto continued. "You have to make sure that every move you make is the right one,")_

Instead of falling, however, they continued to float mid-air. Ochako looked at them with the utmost concentration as she worked to control her quirk. Han-chan then used his tape to maneuver the few of them to a safer location.

When they were out of sight, Chiyo emitted light screeches straining her ears as she did so. She was relieved to find that the area they had landed in didn't harbor any villains.

 _Yet._

A wall of ice, courtesy of Todoroki, separated the fog from the rest of the class. Granting Chiyo a bit more time to think.

 _(What would Hiroto do-)_

More than a third of the class had been swung to safety, and Chiyo looked over the remaining members.

 _(There was no time-)_

The fog was appearing everywhere.

" **You're quite annoying aren't you, little girl?"** The fog stated. Chiyo narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not little," Chiyo rasped her vocal cords on fire. The fog… chuckled almost.

" **How entertaining. To come up with a plan that quickly. As expected of UA-"**

Chiyo screamed once more and watched as the fog dissipated.

 _(It's not defeated yet-)_

" **I'm done playing around,"** The mist replied, as it came back only moments later. Chiyo felt something cold make it's way down her spine.

 _(No I can't-)_

She felt the darkness consume her.

* * *

She was alone.

Chiyo searched the area, straining her ears, her nose, _anything_ in search of at least one of her classmates.

She came up short every time.

She massaged her throat and walked sluggishly towards what seemed to be a door.

She took a step forward before falling flat on her face.

She let out a haggard sigh and pushed herself off the ground. A foot pressed into the small of her back, however, grinding against her spine.

"I didn't realize they allowed toddlers at UA," The man mocked, his comrades laughing around him. "How old are you anyway?"

Chiyo didn't answer.

 _(It wasn't like she could if she had even wanted to. Her vocal cords were fried-)_

He grabbed the back of Chiyo's head and pulled her up to his eye level. The grin he gave her was disgusting.

"I take it back," The man said. "You're actually kinda cute-"

Chiyo kneed him in his private parts.

The man groaned, and Chiyo narrowed her eyes in anticipation as his friends came rushing towards her.

She bent her knees and unsheathed her daggers.

 _(Look brat," he had said, as he downed a bucket of chicken. "With the type of quirk you have, you can't be a purely physical fighter,"_

 _Chiyo rolled her eyes, as she completed another set of stretches._

" _So?" She questioned. A red feather tackled her down to the ground._

" _So," he had repeated, rolling his eyes. "You need to work on other things. You're fast, and you're crafty. You'll never be able to smash things like All Might-"_

" _As if I'd want to," Chiyo grumbled._

" _But you have strong legs. Use them when you can, and strategize when you can," he replied, pressing a finger to his temple. "And remember… When all else fails-"_

" _Dodge like hell," Chiyo finished. He grinned down at her._

" _You catch on quick," He stated as he ruffled her hair.)_

Chiyo backflipped away from the two men in front of her and took note of the five men in the back. She closed her eyes.

 _(Strategize-)_

She opened her wings to their full width and used them to obscure one of the men in the back of her sight. She swept the man's feet and threw him at the two men in front. Her arms strained slightly.

 _(Four left-)_

Chiyo took to the air and watched as the men grew increasingly frustrated. Red eyes narrowed, as she completed a somersault mid-air, and extended her right leg as she headed back towards the ground.

The man she was going towards grinned and got into a defensive stance. Chiyo grinned back at him.

 _(As if I'd let you win asshole-)_

Chiyo spun around and instead used her right wing to knock the man to the side. Her left wing curled around her, as two of the men tried to rush her left side.

 _(How idiotic-)_

She crouched down to the ground and swept one of the man's feet. She then kicked the back of his knee out.

As the other man lunged for her, Chiyo finally brought her daggers to use.

She waited until the man was close enough, and swiped the dagger towards his midsection.

As expected, the man lunged back, knocking into his other companion. They both fell down backward.

Chiyo breathed heavily and dropped to her knees. Her vision began to blur.

 _(Someone was… someone was walking up behind her-)_

Chiyo snarled and grabbed the hand reaching for her. She pulled and watched in satisfaction as the man fell onto his back in front of her.

As her vision began to settle, the sight of dual toned hair made Chiyo freeze.

 _(Oh shit-)_

Her mouth parted in horror, as she looked at the person in front. Different colored eyes stared back at her in slight annoyance.

She had just slammed Todoroki.

Chiyo moved forward and made to help the boy up. Todoroki just shook her off, however.

"I… I'm sorry," Chiyo rasped, brokenly as she held her throat. Todoroki just shook his head.

"It's fine," he stated, as he looked over the men Chiyo had taken out. "I thought you would need help, but…"

The boy just looked at the scene in front of him and shook his head.

"Yaoyorozu and the others aren't too far from here," Todoroki eventually stated, as he got up and rubbed the back of his head. "We're trying to find all members of the class that got scattered,"

Chiyo just nodded her head.

"Shoji says that Thirteen's injured," Todoroki continued. "So is Aizawa-sensei,"

Chiyo lowered her head in shame.

 _(My plan didn't help things at all-)_

"Iida was able to make it out," Todoroki replied. "Bakugou caused a diversion apparently-"

"Monster," Chiyo rasped. Todoroki looked at her in slight surprise.

"They said it has multiple quirks," The boy explained. "All Might is currently fighting it,"

 _("They're making monsters out of us-")_

Chiyo dropped to her knees.

 _(She… she was so tired-)_

Todoroki steadied her, as she made her way back to her feet.

"You had a good plan," The boy stated calmly. "If you had more time than maybe it would've worked,"

 _(Was he… complimenting her-)_

Her vision went dark once more.

* * *

 _Fun Fact: I Imagine Chiyo's voice actors to be Yui Ishikawa and Trina Nishimura(Mikasa from AOT English sub and dub voice actors)._

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 14! I want to take some time to thank all the people that followed, favorited, and reviewed the last chapter. The USJ attack happened this chapter, and while it did hold some canon elements, I did try and put my own spin on it. In this version, some of the class was able to get to safety, while only a few were scattered. I do plan for Chiyo to become a strategist kind of character, so I hope you guys enjoyed seeing that somewhat. Her plan obviously wasn't foolproof, but she is just a beginner.

Things you Guys said:

 **Do the children that escaped from the lab have a name that the public stuck them with when the news broke? (Sorry I'm just answering this now, even though you commented this last chapter).** To answer your question, yes they do. The lab case was kept under wraps for the most part, and the public only believes that the children were kidnapped. They don't know about the experiments. The name they were given is the "Core 7"(Cheesy I know).

 **Chiyo criticizes Bakugou and the others, even though she herself isn't that great.** You're right. Chiyo can be a bit of a hypocrite at times, but I feel like everyone is at one point. Even if she's annoying you now, that actually makes me really happy, because it shows that Chiyo's more real.

 **Is Chiyo usually tired all the time because of her quirk and bats are nocturnal?** Yes, this is a major factor.

 **Has the person you were planning to ship Chiyo with appeared yet?** They have appeared, but as you can see in the summary the pairing is still undecided as of now. (While I do like the idea of the pairing I have in mind, I want to hear what you guys think when it comes to that)

 **How tall is Chiyo exactly? In cm**. Chiyo is actually 149.3 cm tall. Which is about 4'10. I actually made a mistake in a previous chapter. I said that Chiyo was barely five feet when I meant to say she was under five feet.

 **Could I suggest a hero-villain pairing for Chiyo?** I…. I wouldn't _mind_ writing that. It really depends on how the story goes, however, and who the villain is.

 **Being honest I don't see Chiyo falling for someone anytime soon, I enjoy the character development she is getting and I feel that the pairing could ruin that.** You're completely right. While there will be romance(eventually) it won't be any time soon. Chiyo has enough issues of her own she has to deal with, and they'll only increase down the road.

 **I know Chiyo's eyes are sensitive to the sun, is her skin too?** I actually mentioned this in a previous chapter. Chiyo's skin is sensitive to the sun, and she has a few freckles due to that. (Her melanin is structured differently, so the freckles appear as pure white against her skin).

 **For some reason, I'm imagining a Naruto chasing Sasuke vibe from Chiyo & Toga. **This actually made me laugh. Even though I disagreed with some parts, I was a big fan of Naruto for some time. It definitely won't be exactly like Naruto and Sasuke, but you might possibly see some resemblance.

 **I totally vote for a Chiyo x Midoriya pairing.** I am taking suggestions, and I might post a poll once more characters are introduced.

 **I def ship her with Katsuki!** We'll just have to wait and see…

Questions I have for you Guys:

What did you think of how I wrote USJ?

What are some questions you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I enjoy reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

The monster was still there.

Chiyo watched on, her lips parted slightly, as All Might went head to head with it.

She was grateful that All Might was there, but she could tell that the number one hero was struggling.

 _(It's All Might-He won't lose-If he actually lives up to his title-)_

All Might coughed out blood, causing Chiyo to cover her hands with her mouth.

 _(No-)_

The monster wouldn't falter, no matter how many hits were dealt to its body. Chiyo was slightly impressed.

Yaoyorozu gasped next to her, as she watched the events unfold. The rest of her classmates watched with bated breath as well.

 _('It's All Might' they must all be thinking. 'He can't lose')_

The monster seemed to freeze. It turned it's head to the side, and Chiyo felt her stomach roll as it made eye contact with her.

 _(Why… why is it looking at me like that-)_

It walked towards her, and Chiyo immediately rushed away from it. Her classmates following suit.

A flash of curly green hair entered Chiyo's line of sight, and she watched in trepidation as Midoriya of all people jumped towards the monster.

 _(And he called me reckless-)_

Seeing Midoriya in action, seemed to spur something in All Might. The muscular man let out a cry and continued his assault.

Chiyo felt her vision blur once more.

 _(It… It couldn't be-)_

The last thing she heard was Yao calling her name, as she hit the ground.

* * *

She was back in the lab.

Chiyo looked around curiously and was surprised to find that there was no one else there. She dropped to her knees, and let out a shaky sigh.

 _(Adachi isn't here-)_

"Chiyo-chan?"

Goosebumps littered her skin as Chiyo jumped up and immediately put her hands up in a defensive motion. She looked behind her and froze.

Grey eyes looked up at her worriedly.

 _(No… you weren't supposed to be like this. You were supposed to grow older-you deserved so much-you're not supposed to be smaller than me-)_

"Chiyo-chan," Hanami questioned, moving closer to the grey-skinned girl. "You've had a long day haven't you?"

Chiyo choked back a sob and nodded her head. She went down to her knees once more and allowed the girl to wrap her in a hug.

"It's alright," Hanami whispered. "You'll wake up soon,"

"I'm sorry," Chiyo whispered. " _I'm sorry-"_

"It wasn't your fault," Hanami placated. "It's been bothering you for a while hasn't it?"

"I… If I had-"

"I was already dead, Chiyo," Hanami whispered, her voice holding a cold undertone. "Were you planning to drag my corpse through the lab?"

Chiyo froze.

 _(Hanami… Hanami never would have talked like that-)_

"You never told anyone about me or Toga," Hanami whispered, still stroking Chiyo's back. "Are you ashamed of us?"

Chiyo shook her head immediately.

"No-"

"If you had told someone about Toga then maybe they would've been able to find her," Hanami continued. "Maybe you would've been able to save _at least_ her,"

Chiyo froze, as she looked at Hanami once more. Her eyes were no longer grey.

 _(Green eyes stared down at her mercilessly-)_

Adachi laughed at her.

"I own you Chiyo-chan-"

Chiyo screamed.

* * *

Chiyo jolted upwards. Someone was holding her in place, and her eyes narrowed as she struggled.

Recovery girl looked at her worriedly.

"Dearie, calm down," She soothed. "You're fine now,"

Chiyo nodded slowly and touched her throat. Recovery girl held up a hand.

"Your throats healing up," The elderly woman soothed. "You shouldn't try speaking again until the end of the day,"

Chiyo just nodded, as she looked off to the side.

 _(What's wrong with me-)_

"Your classmates were quite worried about you," The elderly woman said, giving Chiyo a pointed look. Chiyo lowered her head, but couldn't help the satisfied feeling that overtook her.

 _(It's alright to be happy-)_

"Your guardian was notified about what happened," The woman informed. "Your cellphone's been blowing up. You have a lot of people that care for you,"

Chiyo's cheeks warmed, as she lowered her head once more. Recovery girl gave her another smile.

 _(It reminded her of Tsubaki-)_

"Get some more rest dearie, "

* * *

The moment she got to her house, she was bombarded by multiple hugs and kisses.

Asami, Masago, and Akane were the first ones to grab a hold of her. Hinata sneaking in as well.

"Chi," Hinata started off. "I heard you kicked their asses-"

"Hinata!" Masago reprimanded. "You shouldn't be using that kind of language-"

"Of course she kicked their asses, Nata," Asami replied, causing Masago's jaw to drop. She took her son's hand and pressed a kiss to Chiyo's temple. "Did you expect anything less?"

"Why do I even bother," Masago mumbled, as she ruffled Chiyo's hair. "We were worried about you. What kind of school is UA running-"

"It's not that bad," Saburo replied, as he helped Tsubaki-san set the table. The elderly woman gave Chiyo a warm smile, which Chiyo found herself returning almost instantly. "This is what they'll have to be up against in the future,"

"You did give us quite a scare," Tsubaki replied, as she put down a batch of cherry pie. "You look starved-"

"Even if this is what they'll be up against in the future," Masago retorted, giving Saburo a pointed look. "They're not ready for that now-"

Yasuo gave Chiyo a one-armed hug, and Chiyo immediately felt calm in his presence.

"You did very well," He replied. "I heard you took on a group of them by yourself,"

"That's an exaggeration," Chiyo mumbled. "Besides… they were all small fries anyway. I'm recommended so I can't lose to a bunch of weaklings-"

"You shouldn't be talking yet," Akito reprimanded as he walked out of the kitchen, holding Asuka. Asuka just sucked on her thumb and stared at Chiyo blankly, as Chiyo's eyes widened. "I was told that-"

"I thought you had work?" Chiyo said hurriedly. "You didn't have to cancel-"

"Some things are more important," Akito said firmly. "And I've told you to watch that _sonic scream_ of yours. It's unpolished-"

"Hawks said-"

" _Takahiro_ isn't the best judge when it comes to the medical aspect of things," Akito retorted, as he swung Asuka around slightly. He picked up a glass and extended it towards Chiyo. "Drink some water at least,"

Chiyo took the glass from him happily.

"Where's Kino?" Chiyo questioned. Masago rolled her eyes.

"She said that she hopes you feel better, but that she had a very important appointment to tend to," Masago stated as she flipped her hair. "I personally don't believe it-"

"She's with her boyfriend," Saburo supplied. Chiyo's jaw dropped.

" _Kino?"_ Chiyo said ghastly, Saburo chuckled at the expression on her face.

"I said the same thing," The black haired boy replied. "Apparently he's… 'hot'," Saburo's expression soured. "I personally don't see it,"

'Oh hush," Tsubaki reprimanded. "Natsuo-kun is a very nice young man. Aren't you two friends?"

"That was before he started kissing practically my _sister_ behind my back," Saburo mumbled. Chiyo just shook her head.

First Masaru, and now Kino. They were all pairing off slowly but surely.

She knew Yasuo had been with a few people, but it had never been anything serious. The same could be said for Akane, Masago, and Saburo.

 _(I wonder if-)_

"What if I got a boyfriend?" Chiyo questioned innocently. The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Everyone seemed to look around, at a loss for words. Akito cleared his throat calmly.

"I'd kill him," Akito said calmly. Saburo and Yasuo nodded their heads in agreement. Akane squealed at that.

"Do you Chiyo-chan? What's his name? How old is he? Age gap romances are cute, but no one over 18-"

"She said 'what if'," Saburo grumbled. Masago let out a laugh.

"I think it'd be cute-"

"Boyfriends are overrated-"

Hinata stared at the adults for a moment in slight wonder, before tugging on Chiyo's skirt.

"Chi… what's a boyfriend?"

Chiyo bent down to Hinata's eye level and leaned forward conspiratorially.

"It's someone that you spend a lot of time with, and enjoy being around-"

"Doesn't that make me your boyfriend?" Hinata questioned innocently, pointing towards himself. Chiyo blinked at Hinata, before chuckling and leaning forward to ruffle the boy's hair.

"Yeah, I guess it does," Chiyo replied. She looked around and felt her wings wilt slightly.

 _(Where is-)_

"He's in the living room," Akito stated bluntly, already knowing Chiyo's thought process. "Still staring at the shogi board,"

Chiyo nodded and excused herself.

She walked through the hall, taking note of the multiple pictures that decorated the wall.

Her first gymnastics win, her and the Core 7, her and Umeko…

Chiyo froze at the sight of a new picture.

Hiroto was much younger, standing next to him was who Chiyo could only believe to be a younger version of Sorahiko-san. It wasn't that that had made Chiyo freeze, however.

Standing between the two, was an incredibly beautiful woman. Long black hair, dark obsidian eyes, a beauty mark. She had her rather muscular arms wrapped around the two taller men.

Hiroto… the man had a carefree grin on his face.

 _(I've… I've never seen him look so happy-)_

Chiyo tore her gaze away from the picture and hurriedly made her way to the living room. She saw her guardian in his usual position, hunched over the shogi board.

She took the seat from across Hiroto, and let out a shaky sigh.

"You were right," She said hurriedly words tumbling out of her mouth. "This… Shogi does help,"

Hiroto just nodded his head, his eyes not leaving the board.

Chiyo breathed in and out.

 _("Chiyo-chan, that thing, what I saw wasn't_ _ **human**_ _-")_

"Shiro," Chiyo blurted out. "I need to speak with him. You remember him right? He was one of the leading officers on the lab case-"

"I know," Hiroto replied softly. "Why do you wish to speak with him,"

Chiyo looked down at her hands.

 _("Why didn't you tell anyone about us-")_

"In the lab," Chiyo stated, taking note of how Hiroto's head jerked up. "I had a friend,"

Chiyo felt her hands begin to shake.

 _(USJ-That_ _ **monster**_ _-)_

"Before they… died. They told me some things," Chiyo replied. "I… I wasn't completely honest with the police,"

Hiroto discarded the Shogi board, and his cerulean eyes pierced through Chiyo.

" _Tell me, "_

* * *

Chiyo sat next to her mother's bedside, and watched in awe as Nadeshiko created yet another masterpiece.

"I don't get how you do it, mama," Chiyo replied softly. "Whenever I look at your art… I _feel_ something. I want to feel that with my own work,"

Nadeshiko kept drawing.

"I… I told Hiroto," Chiyo continued. "About the lab, about the monster… about…. About Hanami and Toga. I feel so free,"

Chiyo drummed her nails against the table.

"I… Principal Nezu wants to speak with me," Chiyo stated, as she looked out the window. "So do the police. Most likely about that… that noumu they're calling it,"

The scratch of pen against the paper was rapid, as Nadeshiko stared down at her notebook with the utmost concentration

"I… I want to be better _mama_ ," Chiyo whispered. "I… I don't ever want to have to carry another dead body. I don't want this guilt weighing on my head. I want to _save_ people, I want to save _you_ ," Chiyo grabbed Nadeshiko's hand, as her voice broke. " _I want you to come back to me,"_

Nadeshiko froze for a moment, before squeezing back.

' _I'm still here.'_ were the unspoken words that passed between them.

Chiyo wrapped her mother in a hug.

* * *

"You withheld information-"

"She was only a child, Shiro-san," Nezu replied. "She was scared,"

Shiro ran a hand through his hair and sighed, his assistants staring at Chiyo with something akin to pity in their eyes. He mumbled to himself for a moment, and Chiyo could make out the words ' _Tsukauchi is going to be a pain,'_ leaving his lips.

"The noumu is being examined now," Shiro replied, giving Chiyo a pointed look. "Now… are you sure you told us everything? Do you-"

Chiyo shook her head, as she smoothed out her uniform skirt.

"I… this is all I know. He… Adachi had never actually explained how he went about his experiments," Chiyo whispered, her mouth dry as she said that _psychopath's_ name.

 _(The noumu was able to regenerate._ _**Hanami**_ _had been able to regenerate-)_

"This is just perfect," Shiro grumbled, as he glared down at Nezu. "Y'know… you don't have to be here-"

"You're questioning one of my students," Nezu replied, a cold undertone contrasting his cute appearance. "I will be here if I so please,"

Chiyo gripped her skirt and bowed lowly.

"Shiro-san," She started off. "I… I'm sorry that I-"

"It's too late now," Shiro replied bluntly, causing Chiyo to wince. "No use crying over spilled milk,"

Chiyo placed her sunglasses over her eyes, and just nodded her head.

"You may go back to class now, Koumori-kun," Nezu replied with an easy smile on his face. "Here's a pass,"

Chiyo bowed towards Nezu.

"Thank you, sir," She said earnestly, her wings flaring behind her. She left as briskly as she could.

Chiyo gripped her school bag, as she made her way down to class.

 _(I haven't seen any of them in a while-)_

She stared at the door for a few moments, unsure of how to proceed.

 _(Just open it-)_

Chiyo took a deep breath and pushed forward.

All eyes were on her, as she walked towards Aizawa, and passed him the note.

 _(So many bandages-is he really alright-)_

She ignored Mina's worrying look as she went to take her seat.

Aizawa turned towards Chiyo for a moment, and his head tilted down towards the note. He sighed and went back to his previous subject.

"The Sports festival is a time where you'll get to show what you're really made of," Aizawa stated nonplussed. The class seemed to brighten at that.

"Scouting opportunities," Yaoyorozu said determinately.

"After graduation, a lot of people get scouted to join as sidekicks," Kaminari said happily. Chiyo placed her head in her hands.

 _(I wonder if Bird-Brain would take me on-)_

"Of course joining a famous agency will gain you a lot of popularity," Aizawa replied. "You'll only get this chance once a year, so make the most of it. Pro heroes from all around will be watching,"

Chiyo sat up straighter at that.

 _(Show what I'm made of-)_

"If you understand that," Aizawa said calmly. "You better not slack off in your preparations,"

A chorus of 'Yes sir!' echoed through the room.

Chiyo could swear Aizawa was grinning from beneath the bandages.

"Homeroom dismissed, "

* * *

Chiyo nibbled at her lunch, as conversations were held around her.

 _(The Sports festival-I need to do well-)_

A cold sensation ghosted over her left cheek, causing Chiyo to jump up.

Jirou gave her an unimpressed look, as she pulled a freezing can of soda away from Chiyo.

"You seem very out of it today, Chiyo-chan," Tsuyu said calmly. "Is everything alright, _ribbit_?"

 _(Not yet-)_

"Yeah," Chiyo replied, pasting a weak smile onto her face. "Just nervous about this Sports Festival," Yaoyorozu nodded at that, as she carefully ate her rice.

 _(She's so prim and proper-)_

"This is a very important time for us," She said softly. "We must show the pros what we're made of,"

"Exactly Yao!" Chiyo replied happily, sending the taller girl a smile. "You have nothing to worry about though, they'd be crazy not to recruit you,"

Yaoyorozu smiled gently at her and shook her head.

"You as well, Mori-chan," Yaoyorozu replied. "You're incredibly talented,"

Chiyo shook her head.

"I'm nothing special-"

"Don't sell yourself short," Jirou interrupted, plugging an earphone jack into her cellphone. "You were the only one to actually keep their head at USJ,"

 _(I was_ _**terrified-**_ _)_

"Is that why you were late to homeroom, Chiyo-chan?" Tooru questioned. Chiyo just nodded her head.

 _(It's not like I can say the real reason-)_

"They umm… they wanted to know more about some of the villains," Chiyo prattled. "When I was separated I had to fight a few-"

"By yourself?" Mina questioned, eyes widening. The other girls looked at her in slight awe.

 _(Stop… stop looking at me like that-)_

"We just thought you were tired out from using your quirk," Mina prattled. "Are you okay?" Chiyo just flexed her right arm.

"I'm strong Mina-chin-"

"While that may be true," Yaoyorozu replied, as she dotted at the corners of her mouth. Her obsidian eyes piercing through Chiyo. "Strong people need to take it easy as well,"

 _("Don't push yourself-")_

Chiyo sighed and steeled herself.

"I'm going to kick ass at this sport's festival," Chiyo said resolutely, chugging the can of soda Ro had placed in front of her. "Everyone in Japan is going to remember my name,"

"Don't get cocky now," Jirou teased. Chiyo just laughed sheepishly.

 _(She had to do well because she wasn't just doing it for herself-)_

* * *

"Are you free later on?"

The room quieted, as Ojiro stared at Chiyo in slight shock. The boy just nodded his head.

"I'm free too," Mineta mumbled, drool exiting his mouth. Chiyo ignored him and wrote her number down on a piece of paper. She placed it in Ojiro's hand.

"Great! Call me later, and I think we'll be able to help each other out," She sent him a slight smile as she exited the room.

The moment she left, she could hear the room grow slightly louder. Mina ran after her.

"Chiyo!" She called out, hurrying to match the smaller girl's pace. "What was _that_?" Chiyo just raised an eyebrow at that.

"Ojiro has experience fighting with an extra limb. I was hoping he could give me some pointers on how to utilize my wings better in combat," Chiyo prattled, her wings fluttering slightly. "I could give him some tips on how to increase his speed as well-"

Mina grabbed Chiyo's cheeks and pulled.

"It sounded completely different than that," Mina mumbled, giving Chiyo an accusing look. "I thought you were asking him out!"

Chiyo stared at Mina for a moment, trying to process the words that had just left the pink haired girl's mouth. Chiyo's jaw dropped.

"No way!"

" _Yes_ , way! You can't be lonely forever-"

"Everything's about romance with you! I am perfectly fine with being lonely," Chiyo retorted heatedly. "I have more important things to focus on than getting a boyfriend,"

She may have joked about it, but she truly wasn't prepared for a relationship.

 _(She'd probably end up hating them-)_

"Fine! But if you do get a crush, I better be first to know!" Mina warned, pointing a finger towards Chiyo threateningly. Chiyo just laughed and nodded her head.

( _You've always been there for me-_ _ **Thank you**_ _-)_

"Of course Mina-chin, "

* * *

Chiyo looked at the door in front of her and took a deep breath. She took a step forward.

 _(Swallow your pride-)_

"Yo! What's up Koumori?" Present Mic questioned as he looked over some English papers. "You did great on your Quiz by the way-"

"I need help," Chiyo interrupted, bowing towards him. "I… my sonic scream-"

"It fries your vocal cords," The man finished. Chiyo nodded slowly, looking at him in slight surprise. Present Mic just gave her a smile.

"I had the same problem," He replied, pushing his sunglasses up his nose. "Vocal quirks are hard to deal with at times,"

Chiyo peeked up at him through her lashes and clenched her fists.

 _(Get rid of your pride-)_

"So you'll help me?" She questioned softly, trying to focus on anything other than his face

Present Mic stared at her for a moment and nodded his head.

"Repeat after me," The man said, clearing his throat. " **YEAAAHHH!"**

Chiyo could feel her sunglasses fall off, from the force of the man's yell. Midnight and Cementoss were both giving him annoyed looks.

Chiyo just gaped at him. She could see Midnight giving her a pitying look from across the room.

"Y… Yeah?" Chiyo repeated, pumping her first slightly. Present Mic just sighed and shook his head.

"Looks like we've got some work to do!"

* * *

Chiyo's arms strained, as she completed another set of push-ups.

 _("You'll never be a purely physical fighter-")_

Her eyes narrowed at the thought, as she flopped onto her back. Her chest moving up and down.

She knew she'd never been a heavy hitter like Kirishima, Bakugou, or even Midoriya. But she needed to do whatever she could.

 _(I can't rely on just dodging. I need to work on actually getting a proper fighting style-)_

She pushed herself up and racked her brain for the capoeira videos she had used to watch so diligently.

 _(Feel the motions-)_

She closed her eyes and raised her hands in front of her face.

 _(Make it your own-)_

She placed her left foot in front of her and sent a barrage of punches onto the school punching bag. The slight squeak of the bag moving back and forth being the only sounds to inhabit the UA gym.

 _(A hand on top of her head-"I'm proud of you brat-"-"You're destined for great things-")_

Chiyo raised her foot in the air and swung her leg towards the bag, knocking it back with all her might.

 _("You have strong legs, use them-"-I need to be better-)_

The bag, of course, came swinging back down towards her, hitting her square in the face. With an undignified squawk, Chiyo fell flat on her ass.

Someone was laughing at her.

Chiyo narrowed her eyes and turned towards the source. She faltered upon the sight of not one, but _two_ other people seeing her failure.

 _(How wonderful-)_

"You shouldn't laugh Mirio," A boy with dark hair, mumbled. He was careful to avoid Chiyo's gaze, and instead focused on his shoes. 'Mirio' just covered his mouth.

"Sorry 'bout that!" The blonde boomed, rubbing the back of his head. "I've never seen that happen before!"

Chiyo gritted her teeth, as she remembered where exactly she had seen him before.

 _("You're pretty short aren't you-")_

Chiyo ground her nails on the floor.

"Well there's a first time for everything," Chiyo snarked, as she dusted herself off. Her nose felt slightly numb, but she ignored it diligently.

 _(I'm going to walk out of this room with at least a semblance of my dignity-)_

"You're going about it the wrong way," The blonde said happily, causing Chiyo to freeze in her tracks. "You're a first year aren't you?"

Chiyo gritted her teeth and glared up at the blonde annoyance.

 _(Shit, he's at least a foot taller-)_

"What would you know?" Chiyo questioned rudely, as she made to sidestep him. The blonde just laughed some more.

"I'm a third-year y'know? You should respect your senpai-"

"Respect is earned," Chiyo countered, as she gathered her belongings. "All you've done is interrupt my training, and be a general annoyance-"

Chiyo froze, once she saw the blonde go to steady the punching bag. His simplistic features taking a sharper turn.

 _(What is he-)_

He then proceeded to do the exact same thing Chiyo had just done. Except… he did it _better_.

Chiyo watched on, as he delivered a flawless assault to the punching bag. It made something in Chiyo's stomach rise.

 _(He's so much better than I am-)_

"Mirio," The other boy stated, causing Chiyo to jump slightly. _I almost forgot he was there_ "You went a bit overboard," The boy grinned sheepishly.

"Haha! I guess you're right, Tamaki!" The blonde boomed, as he rubbed the back of his head. Chiyo mulled over what she had just witnessed.

 _(Experience-He has experience-)_

Chiyo gritted her teeth, as he finished. Something coursed through her veins, as she thought of where she needed to be. She dropped her belongings and marched toward the upperclassman. The blonde just blinked at her and moved back slightly.

"What-"

"Teach me!" Chiyo exclaimed, bowing her head. "The Sport's Festival is coming up, and I need to make a good impression!"

 _(This is embarrassing-What if he says no-_ _ **Swallow your pride**_ _)_

The blonde just stroked his chin for what seemed like an eternity, as Chiyo remained in a bowing position.

 _(If you're going to say no, hurry up and say it-)_

"I can't ignore a _kouhai_ in need of help!" He eventually exclaimed as Chiyo let out a breath of relief. The grin he sent her was blinding.

 _(He's so bright-)_

"What do you need help with?" The blonde questioned, as Chiyo struggled to meet his gaze.

 _(Being that tall should be illegal-)_

"Everything," She admitted. "I… I don't have the most experience fighting against other people. I usually just pull a random trick out of my ass-"

"You were at the USJ incident, weren't you?". The blonde questioned stretching out his arms. His dark-haired companion looked up in interest at that.

Chiyo nodded tentatively.

"Yeah-"

"Man! The first years sure are interesting this year," 'Mirio' exclaimed. He placed a hand on top of Chiyo's head and ruffled her hair.

"When do you wanna start?"

The gaze Chiyo sent him _burned_ as she raised her head.

( _His simplistic eyes held a sort of intelligence-)_

"What's wrong with now?"

* * *

Her lungs burned, as she sprinted around the park. Her wings fluttering behind her, as she struggled to keep going.

 _(Don't give up now-You're better than this-)_

The Sport's Festival was fast approaching, and Chiyo barely had time to even think.

Present Mic was helping her control the vocal aspect of her quirk, while Rio-senpai was helping her when it came to the physical aspect of things.

Thanks to the blonde haired upperclassmen, Chiyo's body now contained multiple budding bruises. Even with her… less than average size, she found that he didn't hold back when it came to her.

When she had asked Ojiro to spar, the boy had looked increasingly uncomfortable at the idea. Saying that he didn't want to 'hurt her'.

The thought of it made Chiyo scoff, as she picked up her pace.

 _(She wasn't weak-)_

She knew the boy hadn't meant anything by it, but hearing those words made something in Chiyo _revolt_.

 _(Always underestimated-)_

Hawks had treated her like she was strong. It was one of the reasons she had grown to respect the man. He had always been honest with her, and he never held back.

When she had asked the man about it, he had just given her a look.

 _("Of course you're strong," He had said as he looked over his nails disinterestedly. "Anyone who doesn't see that must be blind,")_

Chiyo increased her pace.

She sprinted for a few more minutes, back and forth across the neighborhood park. She stopped, however, when her sunglasses slid off of her face.

She let out a groan, as she dropped to her knees and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She reached over to pick up her sunglasses, only to have someone beat her to it. A pale hand held the sunglasses towards her.

She raised her head, the words 'thank you' getting ready to exit her lips. She froze, however, as purple eyes stared down at her.

Shinsou waited patiently, still holding the sunglasses before Chiyo finally came to her senses. With a quick 'thanks', Chiyo hurriedly took the sunglasses from his hands and pushed them up her nose. She looked down at her hands.

 _(What to say what to say-)_

"Hello," She blurted out eventually, mentally kicking herself. "It's… It's been a while hasn't it?"

 _("It's been a while?" Obviously, you idiot-)_

"It has," Shinsou replied bluntly, rubbing the back of his neck, "I see you've been working hard,"

"Yup," Chiyo replied with a pop. "Gotta make a good impression-"

"I'm sure a lot of pros will be watching out for you," Shinsou interrupted, almost as if Chiyo hadn't spoken at all. "People always do seem to notice you,"

Chiyo remained silent and looked down at her hands once more.

"Shin-chan," Chiyo whispered. "I'm sorry-"

"Sorry for what?" Shinsou questioned calmly, but Chiyo could see the tenseness in his form. "For telling me that being a hero was a _worthless_ career choice, and then going behind my back to get a recommendation to one of the top _hero_ schools? Or for lying to me-"

"I never lied-"

"You did," Shinsou replied seamlessly. "We've been friends for _years_ and you couldn't even tell me why,"

"Why what-"

"Why you want to be a hero?" Shinsou stated. "You said you had to find an answer. An answer to _what_? What was so drastic that _you_ , a girl who couldn't even say the word 'hero' without looking _sick_ , suddenly wanted to become one?"

 _(Pink hair, grey eyes that stared at her with so much admiration-)_

"It's… it's private," Chiyo said firmly, balling her fists. The scoff that left Shinsou's mouth made Chiyo shrink into herself.

"'Best friends'," Shinsou said slowly. "I guess that was all a lie,"

"It wasn't-"

"I heard about USJ," Shinsou said firmly, turning around. "I came to see if you were alright. I thought that if maybe I talked to you, I wouldn't be so angry anymore,"

Chiyo raised her head to meet Shinsou's gaze.

"Shin-chan, what do you want from me?" Chiyo questioned earnestly, her hand pressed to her chest. "Do you want me to transfer out of the hero course-"

"Stop acting all high and mighty," Shinsou replied with an annoyed look on his face. "No that's not what I want,"

"Then what-"

"When you first said you wanted to become a hero, a spark entered your eyes," Shinsou admitted. "I was happy for you. I was happy that you found something that you wanted to work towards. I was _happy_ that you got into the hero course,"

Chiyo stared at the boy in front of her and found that words wouldn't- _or rather couldn't_ \- leave her mouth no matter what she did. His purple eyes stared down at her, and Chiyo felt as if they were passing judgment on every single aspect of her being.

"I was always honest with you," Shinsou admitted, as a bitter smile crossed over his face. "I'm just disappointed that you couldn't grant _me_ the same courtesy,"

 _("You didn't tell me why-")_

Shinsou walked out of the park, without another word.

Chiyo stared at the place the boy had just been standing. She breathed in and out like she had been instructed to do multiple times before.

 _("You were never honest with me-")_

Her arms fell to her side, almost as if she was a ragdoll. Even though she had her sunglasses on, her eyes burned.

 _(I'm sorry-)_

She walked out of the park robotically. Ignoring the strange looks passerby would grant her.

 _(I'm sorry-)_

* * *

 _Fun Fact: Chiyo is a bit self-conscious about her body. She's flat chested, has thick thighs due to gymnastics, and rather thick arms that are due to gymnastics as well. (She also has multiple scars due to the lab…)_

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 15! I had originally planned to start the chapter with the Chiyo and 'Hanami' interaction, but the noumu just pushed it's way in. I would like to thank all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed the last chapter. I truly appreciate it! In regards to this chapter, I just wanted to explain a few things. In chapter 4, Chiyo did mention something about the 'monsters', but at that time she wasn't in her right state of mind. Therefore, Shiro couldn't understand what she was saying. When she did get better, she didn't want to mention anything about the monster due to the fact she wasn't ready to talk about Hanami. (I love you guys, but you can be very critical at times, so I feel like I had to explain this)

Things you Guys said:

 **You know Trina Nishimura voices Jirou in English Dub? Not being mean, just saying.** I knew Trina voiced someone in BNHA, but I wasn't sure who it was at the time I wrote the last chapter(I suspected it was Jirou, but I was too lazy to check). Even so, I still feel like Trina's voice suits the way I hear Chiyo whenever I'm writing her. I feel that when Trina voices Mikasa, she has a darker tone to her voice than when voicing Jirou(Maybe that's just me who thinks that.). I feel that the darker tone she uses when voicing Mikasa suits Chiyo. (P.S. You weren't being mean, thanks for pointing this out)

 **Are you planning for Toga to stay a villain? Will Toga and Chiyo interact before the summer camp?** This would all fall into the 'spoiler category', therefore I can't answer it right now. I will say that I look forward to writing their interactions when the time comes, however.

 **Now that you mention your original pairing choice has been introduced, I'm assuming it's Mirio lol?** *Sigh* I tried to be discreet about it, but you are correct. Before I even posted chapter one, I thought that I would pair Chiyo with Mirio. I then decided that before choosing a final pairing, I wanted to hear my reader's input. Chirio(Chiyo x Mirio) does hold a special place in my heart, but it hasn't been decided if they're the final pairing. I can't wait to incorporate the Overhaul arc into this fanfic, however. I'm not going to say much on the Eri front(cuz, spoilers) but I can't wait to write her as well.

 **I do wonder how much force she can put behind her wings?** As you said, her wings are basically specialized limbs. Therefore, the amount of force she can put behind them depends on how much she trains using them. She does see them as a bit of an annoyance, but she is working to change that mentality.

 **The sheer joy I felt with this early inclusion of Mirio. Sheer joy. (Plus something about the idea of Chiyo x Mirio just clicks for me, but I digress. I'm sure whomever you chose it will be wonderful.)** We'll just have to wait and see….

Questions I have for you Guys:

What did you think of the 'Hanami' interaction?

What did you think of the real reason Shinsou is angry with Chiyo?

What are our thoughts on Chirio(Chiyo x Mirio)? (They haven't really interacted much, but what's your first impression)

What questions do you guys have for me?

 _P.S I enjoy your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

" _Whatcha doing?"_

 _Chiyo rolled her eyes at the question, and proceeded to walk forward on her hands. She did a little twirl and landed on her back._

" _It's a handstand genius," Chiyo snarked from the ground. "You've never seen one before?"_

 _Toga had just blinked at her, while Hanami had given her a reprimanding look. Chiyo sighed and massaged her temple, strong feelings of guilt overtaking her._

 _(She probably hasn't seen one before-)_

" _I could teach you if ya want," Chiyo brought forth, before her voice took on a more teasing tone. "I mean… I don't know if crybabies will be able to learn it-"_

" _I'm not a crybaby!" Toga replied heatedly. "I'm… I'm a lot stronger than you are!"_

" _If you say so," Chiyo said disinterestedly. "Now do you wanna learn or not?"_

 _Toga glared at her for a moment, before nodding her head hesitantly. Hanami smiled at Chiyo, her cheeks taking on a red tint. She turned away hurriedly, however, as Chiyo caught her staring. The grey-skinned girl raised an eyebrow at that._

 _(Weirdos, the both of them-)_

* * *

 _(In the end, Toga had been right. She had been a lot stronger than Chiyo-)_

* * *

Chiyo sank lower and lower into the bathwater.

 _("You were never honest with me-")_

Chiyo pinched herself, and desperately tried to push the previous events from her mind.

She couldn't tell Shinsou about the lab. She couldn't… she couldn't let him see her _break down_.

When she had told Hiroto, she had barely been able to get the words out without hyperventilating. While it had been freeing, it had also been terrifying.

She still… she wasn't able to properly face it.

With a defeated sigh, Chiyo rose from the bath and shook the water from her wings, spraying tiny droplets across the bathroom floor. She glanced over her multiple scars, and tried not to grimace. She diligently ignored her tattoo.

 _(She wondered what number Hanami had been-)_

Her body was in top shape, Chiyo mused as she went to dry herself off. She had always been in top shape, Adachi had wanted nothing but the best.

She clenched her fist at the thought of the man, and hurriedly pulled on a tank top and a pair of shorts.

 _("I own you Chiyo-chan, I own all of you-")_

"No," She whispered firmly, as she dried her hair. "You don't own me, and you never will again,"

A knock on the bathroom door broke Chiyo out of her musings. Red eyes glanced up, and went to push the door open.

Hiroto stood outside, his same blunt expression taking over his face. His eyes softened, however, upon seeing Chiyo.

"You've been in there a while," Hiroto stated bluntly. "I thought you drowned for a second,"

"That was _one time_ ," Chiyo replied heatedly, her cheeks warming up as she walked out of the bathroom. "I didn't drown, I just… I don't understand _why_ you always bring that up,"

"It's kinda sad-"

"I'm a lot bigger now," Chiyo interrupted, taking a moment to glare at Hiroto. "And I can swim, so that's never happening again,"

"If you say so," Hiroto replied disinterestedly. "Come downstairs when you're finished," Chiyo raised her eyebrows at that.

"Why? We already had dinner, and we just played Shogi-"

"Just to talk," Hiroto replied. "Ever since you started UA, we haven't properly had a chance to talk,"

Chiyo stared at the man, and just nodded her head. She watched his retreating back head down the stairs.

The change in Hiroto was becoming more and more prominent, Chiyo realized as she softly closed the bathroom door.

Sorahiko-san was coming over more frequently, and Chiyo couldn't help but be incredibly curious.

 _(What are you hiding-)_

Except for the occasional outings Hiroto would drag her to at the police academy, to-in his words- greet the next generation and meet some old friends, Hiroto wasn't the type of guy that dwelled on the past. He'd usually keep to himself.

 _(Black hair, obsidian eyes- who was that woman-)_

Chiyo walked down the stairs slowly, shaking her hair out as she went to take the seat across from Hiroto. The man stared out of the window for a few moments, before eventually turning towards Chiyo.

"Your Sports Festival is tomorrow," _Oh._

Chiyo nodded her head, and steeled herself.

"You have nothing to worry about-"

"I'm not worried," Hiroto amended. "I have no doubt that you'll kick all of those kids asses,"

Chiyo grinned at that, before looking towards him curiously.

"Then what did you want to talk about?' Chiyo questioned, leaning back slightly. Hiroto's eyes sharpened.

"Tell me about some of your classmates," Hiroto brought forth. "Who's your competition?"

Chiyo brought a finger to her chin in contemplation, before shrugging.

"My classmates are talented," Chiyo admitted. "But… I think if push came to shove I could win against most of them,"

Hiroto raised his eyebrows, and beckoned for her to continue.

"They're strong, but predictable," Chiyo admitted. "It's like… I can always tell what they're gonna do,"

"Who are you worried about?" Hiroto questioned carefully, Chiyo raised an eyebrow at that.

( _Why is he so interested-_ )

"Yao's a genius," Chiyo admitted carefully. "Her quirk, Creation, is incredibly useful, but… her physical ability doesn't seem very high. If I get her into a physical confrontation, I'm sure I could win,"

Hiroto just nodded, and stared down at the Shogi board they had played on not too long ago.

"The bastard-Todoroki-," Chiyo amended upon seeing Hiroto's reprimanding look. "His quirk's really strong. He has two, but I've only seen his ice one. I know he could put me out of commission if I'm not fast enough,"

"Todoroki… Endeavor's son right?" Hiroto replied, as his brow creased. "You better not lose if you're up against him,"

"Don't plan to," Chiyo replied heatedly. "I can't lose to him,"

 _("Get out of my way-" You really think you're better-)_

She had first met Todoroki at the entrance exam for recommended students, taking the seat next to him. After seeing how skilled he was, Chiyo had gone to give him a compliment. The boy had just stared down at her with the utmost annoyance, however.

" _Get out of my way,"_ He had said as he pushed by her shoulder. The thought of it still made Chiyo grit her teeth.

 _(Something about him just rubbed her the wrong way-She couldn't figure him out-)_

"Anyone else?" Hiroto questioned rather nonchalantly. Chiyo racked her brain.

 _(Baku was skilled, but had no patience. Iida was fast, but she could just take to the air-)_

"There… there's one person I can't quite figure out," Chiyo admitted softly. Hiroto stared at her in surprise at that.

"His name's… Deku. Well Izuku is his real name, but Deku's a nickname?" Chiyo said contemplatively. "Baku calls him that, but I'm not really sure why. I thought that was his real name at first, and it just… stuck,"

"Izuku… what's his last name?" Hiroto questioned, as his eyes sharpened. Chiyo hummed.

"Midoriya," Chiyo revealed. "His quirk has really bad side effects though. But if he learns to control it…" Chiyo whistled. "I… I probably couldn't win against him,"

Hiroto took in her every word, and nodded his head. His eyes sharpened some more, in a way Chiyo couldn't quite understand.

 _(First All Might, now Hiroto? What was so special about Deku-)_

Chiyo let out a deep breath as she finished, Hiroto just nodded his head.

"You'll have your work cut out for ya," Hiroto replied. A rare smile overcame his face. "We'll all be watching, so do try to make it a bit entertaining,"

The grin Chiyo gave him was feral.

"Do you even need to ask?"

* * *

"You're bouncing Mori-"

"I can't help it," Chiyo mumbled, as she clenched her fists. Jirou glanced at her from the side of her eye. "It's just… there's gonna be so many people and-"

 _(She hated large crowds-)_

Chiyo wrapped her arms around herself, and took deep breaths as her wings trembled behind her.

She felt something pull on her cheeks, only to realize Tooru was in front of her.

"Nerves are good Chiyo-chan!" The invisible girl stated happily. "That means you'll do even better!"

Chiyo felt her mouth twitch upwards at that, before breaking out into a full out grin.

"Thanks Ru," Chiyo replied happily, pumping her fist. "You'll do great too,"

"Thanks!"

"I have no idea why _you're_ worried though," Jirou questioned as she wrapped an earphone jack around her finger. "You'll probably make it to the semifinals at least,"

"Is that a compliment I hear, Ro-chin?" Chiyo questioned teasingly, her nerves settling, as the three of them made their way down to the waiting room. Jirou just snorted.

"You _wish_ ,"

Chiyo laughed at that, as she pushed the door to the waiting room open. The rest of their classmates were teeming with nerves as well.

"Man I can't believe we're here already!" Kaminari stated, as Chiyo went to take a seat. "I'm kinda nervous!"

"Try not to short circuit your brain," Jirou replied. "You can't afford to lose anymore brain cells, especially today-"

Chiyo laughed, as Kaminari gave Jirou an annoyed look.

"Y'know what-"

"You nervous?" Kirishima questioned, as he took the seat next to her. Chiyo just shook her head.

"I mean… not really? I'm just excited to show what I'm made of,"

 _("You never even told me why-")_

"And," Chiyo gritted out, as disappointed purple eyes swarmed her mindscape. "I need to prove something to someone,"

 _(I can't be scared right now-I have to show him-People are watching-)_

She gave Kirishima a cheeky grin, nudging him with her wing.

"What about you? You seem extra _manly_ today. You ready for this?" Chiyo questioned teasingly. At that moment, Iida walked in to make sure they were already to walk out.

Shima just grinned at her.

"Damn straight-"

"Midoriya," A voice stated, sending a slight shiver down Chiyo's spine. She raised her head, only to see Todoroki walking towards Deku. She felt her face fall into an involuntary scowl.

 _(What does he want-)_

"Todoroki? What's wrong?" Midoriya questioned, as he looked at the slightly taller boy. The dual haired boy just stared back impassively.

"From a purely objective standpoint," Todoroki stated softly. "I think I'm stronger than you,"

Chiyo felt her nails dig into her palms.

 _(Arrogance? No, Baku was arrogant, this was just-)_

Midoriya faltered at that for a moment, before nodding his head.

"All Might's interested in you, right?" The boy charged on, as Midoriya flinched. "I have no interest in prying into that," Chiyo watched on as the boy's eyes narrowed even more. "But… I'm going to beat you,"

Chiyo whistled at that, as the atmosphere seemed to grow even more tense. Kirishima-ever the peacemaker-moved forward, and placed a hand on Todoroki's shoulder.

"Hey, there's no need for that. We're all friends here-"

Todoroki shook him off, and Chiyo felt her eyes narrow even more. Much like his quirk, the look in his eyes reminded Chiyo of ice.

 _(You really think you're better-)_

"We're not here to make friends," The boy said chillingly, making something in Chiyo revolt. "Or at least, _I'm_ not,"

It was as if the boy had drawn an invisible line barricading himself.

 _(If that's what you really want-)_

Chiyo stretched her arms up, and fluttered her wings.

"Todoroki," Midoriya stated, causing the boy to look towards him. Chiyo took note of how his eyes seemed to brighten slightly. "Of course you're better than me. You're a lot more capable than most of us-"

Chiyo coughed at that, as Shima put his hands up in a placating manner.

"Don't be so hard on yourself-"

"It's true," Midoriya ground out. "People from the other courses… they're giving this tournament their all. I can't… I _won't_ fall behind,"

The green haired boy's gaze seemed to _burn_.

"So… I'll be giving this my all too,"

 _(She found she couldn't move- Hinata had been clinging to her skirt-Baku had looked scared-Deku was the only one brave enough to face it-)_

Chiyo watched the taller boy in awe. Pure determination and anticipation colored his features. Chiyo's lips quirked upwards.

 _(I can't help but root for him-)_

Iida cleared his throat, looking slightly surprised at the previous events. Chiyo honestly couldn't blame him.

Todoroki… to put it bluntly, he annoyed Chiyo.

She had always been good at reading people, figuring out people's motives. But when it came to the dual hair colored boy… she was illiterate.

 _(She couldn't figure him out-he complimented her one moment, but was an asshole the next-)_

"It's time to line up!" Iida called out eventually. They all got into position, and Chiyo found her gaze falling towards her fellow recommended student. His indifferent mask was carefully in place.

 _(She just couldn't figure him out-)_

* * *

Chiyo felt her legs start to tremble slightly, as the class walked out into the open.

This was… important. This was her debut to the world.

( _Grey eyes, pink hair-"You're amazing Chiyo-chan-")_

The trembling in her legs ceased as the crowd cheered on. She couldn't afford to fail.

 _(So many people were watching her-She had to give this her all-)_

Ochako stood next to her. She noticed the taller girl had a tense look on her face.

While she hadn't exactly spoken to the brunette much, Chiyo found herself tapping on the girls shoulder anyway. Brown eyes stared at her in surprise, as Chiyo gave her a comforting smile.

 _(Much like Todoroki, she wasn't exactly here to make friends either. But she wouldn't ignore a classmate that needed help-)_

"You alright?" Chiyo questioned moving closer to the brunette. "There really are a lot of people here aren't there?"

Ochako just nodded as she looked at the crowd as well.

"Yeah," she replied letting out a nervous laugh. "I wasn't expecting this,"

Chiyo just nodded, as she nudged the girl with her wing. A sharp grin decorated her features.

"I'm sure you'll kick ass," Chiyo promised, as she fiddled with her piercings. She wasn't wearing her usual amount today, in fact, Hiroto had advised her against wearing them at all.

But… they were apart of her. They made her feel stronger than she actually was.

Ochako seemed to freeze at that, before a fierce grin made it onto her face as well. The brunette pumped her fist.

"Thanks Chiyo-chan! I'm all pumped up now," The girl replied as she seemed much more carefree. Chiyo just smiled back.

"Happy to help,"

Midnight grinned down at them as they made their way to their places. She brandished her whip. Chiyo struggled not to roll her eyes as the boys in her class gawked at the woman.

"Time for the player pledge!" The woman called out cheerfully. "Representing the student body is… Katsuki Bakugou from class 1-A!"

Chiyo cackled at that, and leaned against Ochako's shoulder in order to contain her giggles. Ochako's eyes widened a fraction, but the brunette was quick to hide her surprise, however, as Bakugou glared in their direction. Chiyo placed an innocent smile onto her face.

 _(I know he's talented but… it's still funny-)_

Her classmates looked on in confusion as well, as Chiyo struggled and failed to hold in her laughter. Sero patted her on the back, his shoulders moving up and down in a shrugging motion.

"He did rank high in the entrance exam," The black haired boy stated. Chiyo keeled over, as she struggled to compose herself.

Bakugou stared down at the student body with clear indifference.

"I pledge… to be number one,"

 _(He did not just-)_

Chiyo held onto Sero's shoulder, as she took deep breaths, desperately trying to stop her chortles.

She found she was unsuccessful, however.

" _Is she alright?_ " She could hear someone mumble.

" _Just ignore her Kendo. That insufferable class A really thinks their so special-"_

Mina covered her mouth, as Chiyo finally stood up straight. Her wings trembled as she put on a mask of indifference. Midnight stared down at her with raised eyebrows.

Chiyo froze, as she realized that the cameras had probably recorded her moment of weakness.

 _(Bird-brain will not let me live this down-)_

"After that… rather interesting turn of events. It is now time to pick the first event!"

Chiyo straightened even more. She pushed her sunglasses up her nose.

 _(It was finally time-)_

* * *

Chiyo soared through the air, as her fellow classmates struggled below.

Todoroki had frozen the entire floor. Leaving the robots(Chiyo was still shocked by that) in a completely awkward position.

It was a smart move, Chiyo had to admit begrudgingly.

She was careful not to use her full speed as she flapped her wings carefully. She looked to the ground, and saw Todoroki taking the lead with ease.

 _(The epitome of perfection-)_

Chiyo kept herself at a steady pace, as a loud noise broke her concentration. She faltered at the sight of Bakugou coming straight towards her.

" _Get the fuck out of my way Vampire!"_ he yelled as he knocked her shoulder. He then proceeded to charge towards Todoroki.

Chiyo rolled her eyes, as she remained at a steady pace. This was only the first stretch. It wasn't smart to use up all of her energy now.

 _(This was nowhere near as fast as she could actually go-)_

She could hear the robots being defeated behind her, and felt an immense amount of respect for her fellow classmates. She looked down, and scoffed once she saw what was next.

Her wings twitched happily, as she soared over the valley they had decided to put as an 'obstacle'. Todoroki slid across the ropes with ease, as Chiyo was hot on his trail.

 _(Not today pretty boy. I won't let you win-)_

" _What's this?!"_ Present Mic exclaimed _. "It seems Koumori is refusing to back down. Underneath_ _her tiny frame lies cold hard determination!"_

Chiyo felt her wings flap even harder.

 _(She was a normal height! Why was that so hard to understand? No one ever made fun of Mineta's height-)_

She calmed down considerably, once she got to the end of the valley. She let Todoroki take the lead for a few more moments, before allowing her lips to quirk upwards.

This was perfect for her.

As she got to the next destination, she noticed Todoroki stop for a moment. Dark circles littered the ground, and Chiyo felt her jaw drop.

 _(Explosives? For a school Sports Festival-)_

Feeling slight pity for her classmates, Chiyo continued to fly steadily overhead. Seeing her progress, Todoroki seemed to speed up.

" _Fuckin assholes!"_

Chiyo rolled her eyes, as Baku quite literally blasted his way over the ground. Todoroki looked at him in shock.

The two boys seemed to go at it, and Chiyo couldn't help but laugh at their antics.

 _(We're in the middle of a race, and you're fighting? Boys are stupid-)_

" _Bakugou and Todoroki are battling it out in the front! Koumori is fast on their heels, however!"_

 _(Yeah… she was done playing around-)_

She flapped her wings as fast as humanly possible for her. She felt her hair flutter in the wind, and she couldn't help the carefree grin that came over her face.

She could hear Bakugou curse from below, but Chiyo found she didn't care.

 _(You shouldn't have underestimated me-)_

 _"What's this?! Koumori's taken the lead!"_

 _(All of Japan needed to know her name-)_

A large explosion broke her concentration, and Chiyo found herself faltering as she stared in back of her. A large flurry of pink smoke was the first thing that caught Chiyo's eye.

 _(Who the hell-)_

A messy head of curly hair broke free from the smoke. Midoriya was rushing towards the front with a crazy expression on his face.

Chiyo's jaw dropped, as she stared at him. She found she couldn't move.

 _(He… Did he just-)_

"Deku," Chiyo whispered, as a lopsided grin overtook her face. "You're _crazy,"_

With those words, Chiyo found herself getting back to work. She flapped her wings once more to gain momentum, and soared towards the tunnel.

Another explosion occurred, and Chiyo saw a mess of green hair and freckles soar above her. With narrowed eyes, Chiyo sped up even more.

 _(Control it-Don't use up all your energy-)_

Chiyo stretched her hands out in front of her, and took note of the patter of determined feet in back of her. Bakugou and Todoroki were hot on her heels.

 _(I can't-I have to beat them-)_

Chiyo exited the tunnel.

* * *

Second place.

It… it obviously wasn't first, but Chiyo found it would have to do.

 _(Losing to Deku… that isn't too bad-)_

She took a peek at the green haired boy, and couldn't help the warm feeling she gained when she saw how happy he looked.

 _You let him win._ A traitorous part of her mind whispered. But… Chiyo couldn't find it in her to care. She was happy for the kid.

 _(I can't help but root for him-)_

Chiyo sat down, her wings moving up and down in fluid motions as she struggled to catch her breath.

 _("You don't have to be the best Chiyo. No one expects you to be. All that matters is that you're happy-)_

Chiyo took her sunglasses off and marched towards Midoriya. The green haired boy looked at her in slight surprise.

"Koumori-san- _ow_!"

"What did I say about the san?" Chiyo threatened as she pulled his cheeks. The boy nodded his head frantically. Chiyo sighed as she cleaned off her glasses. Red eyes peeked up at the boy through her lashes.

"You're a real badass, y'know that Deku? I would never have thought that-"

"Oh no, no!' Midoriya replied waving his hands. A shy smile claimed his features. "I was just lucky is all,"

Chiyo glared up at him, before pulling his cheeks once more.

"Stop being so humble," Chiyo grumbled as the boy turned slightly red. "Take the compliment for crying out loud. You're a badass. A madman. _Insane_ , but in a _good_ way-"

"Deku!" Ochako called out, as she made it through the tunnel as well. Chiyo took note of how out of breath the girl was. "You were amazing! What even was that-"

Midoriya seemed to turn more and more red at the praise. Chiyo patted his shoulder, as she saw more contestants walk into the area.

"You're pretty cool Deku," Chiyo stated as she walked away. She turned towards Ochako and smiled slightly. "You did good too, Chako-chin,"

Ochako's eyes widened, before her countenance seemed to brighten at that.

"Thanks Chiyo-chan!"

Chiyo nodded her head, as she walked to where Yaoyorozu was standing. The girl looked dead on her feet, and Chiyo took note of the purple balls on her back.

Yaoyorozu stared blankly at her.

"Mineta is the worst," She mumbled as Chiyo just patted her back, careful not to touch the purple balls.

"I'm sure he is," She agreed, not bothering to ask the details.

* * *

 _Fun Fact: The 'Natsuo' that Kino is going out with, is Natsuo Todoroki. Shouto's older brother._

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 16! I want to take some time to thank all the people that followed, favorited and reviewed the last chapter. We're getting close to passing _200_ favorites, and _300_ follows. I can't thank you guys enough! Next chapter will deal with the remainder of the Sports Festival

Things you Guys said:

 **I'd like a time-skip where Chiyo has recovered her mind and gotten over her trauma. But, that's too much to ask for. This story isn't for me.** I'm glad you gave this story a chance, but I want to address a few things. Chiyo went through a lot in the lab. There's still a lot of things that I plan to explain more as the story goes on, that I didn't touch on before. When you say that you want Chiyo to 'get over' her trauma, that's very unrealistic. At the end of the day, she's a young girl that is trying her best to move past the awful things that happened to her. While she is developing, she won't just be all sunshine and rainbows. Bad things have happened to her, and bad things will happen to her in the future. But the point of this story is to show Chiyo move past that. I'm sorry this story wasn't for you, but thanks for giving it a chance anyway.

 **As for Shinsou - I think he just has this innate sense that there's some real bad stuff that Chiyo has been through. After all, when you're super close to someone you can tend to have a good ability to read them, and he's probably frustrated that they were supposedly such good friends, yet Chiyo won't share and confide in him.** You're right on the money with this. Shinsou _was_ a bit jealous at the fact that Chiyo got into the hero course, but that wasn't really why he was upset with her. Chiyo can be very closed off at times, and Shinsou feels as if Chiyo doesn't really trust him.(Their relationship will be mended, though. It won't be like this forever)

 **I think you just sold me on the og ship, mainly because I read Chirio in my head as Cheerio (the cereal brand).** Not gonna lie, this is one of the reasons I liked them together as well. Yes their personalities mesh well together in my opinion, but I really just like the sound of Chirio.

 **Do you already have someone in mind for Chiyo to intern with? If you don't have anyone in mind I think that interning with one of the Wild Pussycats, Gang Orca, or actually one of the staff at U.A.?** I'm honestly not sure who Chiyo is gonna intern with yet. I used to be stuck between two people, but I'm changing a few plans I had for the story. I am taking suggestions, so the people you said will be considered

Questions I have for you Guys:

Who do you think Chiyo should intern with?

What questions do you have for me?

 _P.S. I love reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _She had been shaking._

 _(It was different this time-She was being dunked underwater-He wouldn't let her come up-"You have to be perfect, Chiyo-chan. I accept nothing less-")_

" _Are you alright?" A sleepy voice questioned, causing Chiyo to jump slightly. She looked to the side, only to see Shinsou staring down at her. She felt herself relax instantly._

" _It's nothing," She responded, with a weak smile on her face. She went to fiddle with her piercings, as she looked towards the TV. The corners of her lips turned downwards. "Sorry about falling asleep. I know you were excited to watch this-"_

" _It's alright," Shinsou replied, letting out a yawn. "It is getting late, and I know anything 'hero-related' bores you. The Sports Festival isn't too important anyway,"_

" _You want to participate in this next year don't ya? Even if it bores me, I should have paid more attention," Chiyo retorted, nudging Shinsou with her wing. "If you wanna be a dumb hero, then this is important isn't it?"_

 _Shinsou froze for a moment, before a rare smile came over his face._

" _Yeah, I guess," He said as he rubbed the back of his head. Chiyo grinned at him, and pushed his shoulder playfully._

" _Then… you better kick some ass. I won't let you hear the end of it if you lose in a dumb way," Chiyo teased, before smiling genuinely as she burrowed into the boy's side. "... Good luck Shin-chan,"_

 _The purple haired boy didn't respond, but Chiyo didn't miss how the corners of his lips twitched upwards._

 _They had remained like that for the rest of the evening. Chiyo resting her head on Shinsou's shoulder._

" _Thank you," She had heard the boy whisper as she once again fell into a deep sleep._

* * *

For once, she was glad she hadn't gotten first place.

She looked to Midoriya with slight pity, as the green haired boy seemed to be having a heart attack. No one wanted to pair with him.

 _(Ten million points-She was_ _ **really**_ _glad she hadn't gotten first place-)_

She had still gotten a high number of points, but it was nothing in the eyes of Midoriya's points. Everyone would be coming for him.

His green eyes turned to her pleadingly for a moment, but she had just given him an apologetic look and shook her head.

It may have been cruel, but she still didn't know how good Midoriya was at the moment. She couldn't risk anything.

 _(She needed to do well-)_

She saw her classmates crowding around Bakugou, and Chiyo just shook her head as she headed in the opposite direction.

 _(Great, his ego will get even bigger-)_

Chiyo massaged her temple, as she quickly thought about who would be a good addition to her currently non existent team.

 _(Someone strong definitely, but they can't be all brawn. They also have to be fast-)_

She looked towards her first choice, only to see that Iida was already standing near Todoroki. Chiyo scowled as she pushed her sunglasses up.

 _(Bastard-)_

The dual hair colored boy already had Yaoyorozu, Iida and Kaminari in his arsenal. Chiyo clenched her fists as she desperately looked around.

 _(She was running out of time-There was no time to think about strategy-)_

Someone tapped on her shoulder, and Chiyo turned around hurriedly.

Shinsou stared down at her disinterestedly, and Chiyo couldn't help but blink slowly at him. Trying to decide if the image in front of her was real, or an illusion.

 _(Have I been drugged? Does he actually want to work with me-)_

"You were standing around like an idiot," Shinsou said bluntly, causing Chiyo to wince. "It'd be sad if you got disqualified just because you couldn't find a team,"

Chiyo stared at the boy in front of her for a few moments, silently processing the words that had come out of his mouth. Her jaw dropped as she grabbed the boy's hand.

"Shin-chan you won't regret this-"

"It's not that serious," Shinsou replied bluntly, taking his hand out of her grasp. "We still need two members so don't act too happy just yet,"

Chiyo grinned up at the boy.

 _(Even after everything-You still want to work with me-)_

"I can be the left wing," Chiyo prattled, bouncing slightly. "If anyone comes close I can just use my wing to swipe at them. We need something similar to that for the right wing, and a real powerhouse for the front-"

Shinsou raised a hand and shook his head. He pointed wordlessly behind her. Chiyo turned her head, only to see Ojiro walking towards her. Waving a hand hesitantly.

"Koumori-"

"Thank you," Chiyo said hurriedly, as she grabbed the boy's hand. "Would you mind being the right wing? You're perfect for-"

Ojiro just raised an eyebrow for a moment, as Chiyo rambled on.

"I haven't said anything yet," Ojiro mumbled. Shinsou gave the boy a pitying look, and just shrugged his shoulders.

"You get used to it," He replied. Chiyo froze for a moment, before looking around frantically once more. She gasped as she rushed away from the two boys for a moment.

Moments later, the tiny girl came back hand in hand with Tsu. The frog girl nodded towards the other two, as Chiyo turned towards Tsu.

"Would you mind being the front?" Chiyo questioned hurriedly, as she looked at the taller girl. "Your tongue could provide good offense and defense,"

The moment Tsu nodded her head, as if to say 'yes', the timer began.

* * *

Chiyo used her left wing to deflect Jirou's earphone jack. She turned slightly, extending her wings as she did so, and propelled her team slightly off to the side.

Shinsou glared at her.

"A little warning next time," The boy grumbled, from his place up top. Chiyo just grinned.

"I got us to safety didn't I?" Chiyo retorted, as she used her left wing to once again deflect an incoming attack. "I was hoping that everyone would gun for Deku, but it seems we're not exactly safe either,"

Midoriya was at the other side of the arena, and didn't seem to be having the easiest time either. He seemed to be having a standoff with Todoroki.

Chiyo's eyes widened, as she noticed a girl from class B rushing towards them. Her horns ready to charge.

Tsuyu extended her tongue, and knocked the girl off balance for a moment.

Realizing that they were surrounded, Chiyo took a deep breath. She gripped onto Shinsou and Ojiro.

"Tsu, hold on," Chiyo replied curtly, as she proceeded to take her team up into the air.

" _It seems Team Shinsou's taken to the air!"_ Present Mic called out _. "I wonder how long they can keep it up!"_

Chiyo strained against the weight of her teammates, as she scouted the ground. There were almost no openings.

 _(She couldn't keep this up for long-)_

"Ojiro," Chiyo stated, gaining the boy's attention. "I'm gonna take us down now. The moment we get close to the ground, swipe your tail at that vine girl. Shin-chan, Tsu, you know what to do,"

Her teammates just nodded, as she braced herself. Her muscles straining, as she counted down.

 _(You aren't just doing this for you-)_

Chiyo took them down to the ground, and set her eyes on the vine haired girl. Ibara, or something.

The moment they made eye contact, Chiyo stuck her tongue out at the girl. The girl placed a hand over her mouth, and gasped softly.

"How rude," The girl said, as if Chiyo had committed blasphemy. Her team had to jump back as Ojiro swiped his tail at them. "We shouldn't commit such obscene acts!"

"You think that's obscene?" Shinsou questioned dryly, as the corners of Chiyo's lips turned upwards. The girl just stared at him.

"Yes-"

Almost instantly, her eyes went blank as Shinsou lunged for her headband. Anger was evident in her teammates eyes.

 _"You-"_

The moment Shinsou had safely secured the headband, Chiyo brought them up into the air once more.

"This is kinda fun," Ojiro stated happily, as he looked overhead. She could faintly see Tsu nodding her head in the front.

"I've never been able to fly before," The frog girl replied, in her same monotone voice. Chiyo smiled weakly at that.

"Well… don't get too used to it," Chiyo warned as she scouted the area. "We're going down again in exactly three, two-"

A loud explosion broke her concentration, as she saw Baku launch himself towards a blonde boy from class B. He seemed angrier than usual, if that was possible.

"We're in third place," Shinsou stated dryly. "As long as we dodge, we'll be fine,"

"I can't keep this up for long," Chiyo replied, as her muscles strained. "No offense… but you guys are really heavy,"

She could feel Shinsou rolling his eyes.

"Are you an idiot?" Shinsou questioned, causing Chiyo to bristle slightly. Red eyes narrowed as she turned her head upwards.

"I'm not-"

She was immediately met with a sense of distortion. Everything felt _sideways_.

 _(What's…. This can't be-)_

Everything turned white.

* * *

When she came to, Chiyo immediately sent a sharp punch to Shinsou's shoulder. The boy hissed and rubbed his arm as Chiyo stared him down.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't use your quirk on me, _Hitoshi_ ," Chiyo stated lowly, her fists clenching. Ojiro and Tsu watched the exchange with hesitant eyes, as Shinsou met her gaze.

"You looked like you were about to pass out," Shinsou stated matter of factly, as he turned away from the shorter girl. "We got third place. That's all that matters isn't it?" Chiyo scowled at that, and shook her head.

"It's a matter of trust-"

"Trust? Shinsou questioned, a harsh laugh escaping him. He turned to her abruptly, his purple eyes narrowed. "What a _hypocrite_ ,"

Chiyo remained silent at that, before sighing.

 _("You were never honest with me-")_

"Shin-chan," Chiyo said softly. "If you just…. I'll explain everything-"

"Save it," Shinsou replied, his hands in his pockets as he stared at Chiyo with complete indifference. "Thank you for your cooperation, but I don't want to hear it anymore,"

Chiyo froze as she saw the boy walk away from her. His back getting smaller and smaller as he went farther away from her.

 _(I'm sorry- Please stop- I can't lose anymore friends-)_

All the words she wanted to say at the moment, died in her throat. She could hear Midnight speaking, but she couldn't process the words leaving the woman's mouth.

 _(After everything that we've been through- Is this really it? Over something so stupid-)_

Chiyo wanted to go after him, but she found her legs wouldn't move.

 _(She could never move when it counted-)_

Chiyo pushed her sunglasses up her nose, and looked down to the ground.

 _(After five years, this is it-)_

Chiyo waited for Present Mic to call a lunch break, before hurriedly rushing into one of the hallways that served as an exit to the arena.

 _("What a hypocrite-")_

Chiyo froze, as she looked down at her shoes. She clenched and unclenched her fists, as she tried to push it from her mind.

 _(Ignore it and push it away-)_

Shinsou wouldn't understand. Nobody could possibly understand _why-_

 _("Shut it Vampire-"-"You're so cool Chiyo-chan")_

Chiyo gritted her teeth, as she continued to walk down the hallway. She continuously slapped her cheeks, and tried to focus on the task at hand.

 _(Why? Why do you still think about them so much? Why do they still affect you so violently-)_

It had been seven years, Chiyo thought bitterly as she turned a corner. She pressed her back against the wall, her wings flattening. She breathed in and out as she tried to think about her upcoming fight.

 _(I made it to the finals, and I need to be prepared for any type of fighter. I should try and stick to hand to hand combat-She had_ _**been covered in red**_ _-)_

Chiyo gasped, as she placed her head in her hands. Her heart was pounding as she went down onto her knees.

 _(Now? Of all times-)_

She pictured Umeko standing next to her, guiding her through the motions. She breathed in and out.

 _("Just breathe Chiyo-")_

Her heart rate eventually slowed, as she struggled to get back to her feet. She wiped her sweaty palms onto her pants and fluttered her wings.

 _("You don't have to forget about what's happened to you. You just have to accept it and move forward-")_

Move forward.

She… she had to let them go.

 _("Are you ashamed of us-")_

She had never been ashamed of Hanami and Toga. She had been afraid of them. Afraid of their memory.

What would they think if they saw her now? What would they say? What would they think of her being a hero?

 _(She wasn't doing it for fame or fortune. She was doing it for them-)_

She hadn't been able to save them. So she wanted to save others. Wasn't… wasn't that what it meant to be a hero? Saving people?

Chiyo mulled the definition over in her head, and sighed.

It didn't feel right. There was something more, Chiyo thought as she heard a patter of feet moving closer to her. She took a deep breath, and schooled her features before turning towards the person with a smile.

Ochako waved at her, as she ran closer to her. She grabbed Chiyo's hand, and pulled.

"We've been looking for you," Ochako stated slightly out of breath. "Yaomomo-chan needs your measurements,"

Chiyo blinked at the girl, as she was pulled along.

"What?" Chiyo questioned, her eyes widening. "What for-"

"All the girls have to dress up apparently," Ochako informed. "Aizawa-sensei must've forgot to tell us before,"

Chiyo pushed her sunglasses onto her face, as Ochako sent her furtive glances. She seemed to be contemplating something.

"Are… are you alright?' The taller girl questioned eventually. "You just walked off suddenly. Ya seemed kinda… sad,"

 _(Was she that transparent-)_

"Chako-chin," Chiyo started off. "What do you think it means to be a hero?" The girl looked surprised at that, and shrugged slightly.

"Saving people? I mean that is in the job description-"

"Don't you think there's something more?" Chiyo pushed. "Just because you save people… doesn't mean that you're a hero. You could be a complete asshole and still-"

"Mori-chan!" Yaoyorozu called out, rushing towards her. She was sporting an orange cheer-leading outfit, that immediately raised red flags for Chiyo "Please let me have your measurements! We're running out of time-"

Chiyo took her hand from Ochako's, and shook her head.

"When you said dressing up," Chiyo started off slowly. "I didn't think-"

"I know it isn't very practical," Yaoyorozu started of hurriedly, her eyes sparkling. "But if every other class is doing it, we can't be the only ones to slack off. We must set an example!"

Chiyo stared at the taller girl, before sighing heavily.

"I know," Chiyo groaned, as she pressed a hand to her temple. "Let's just… can we please get this over with?"

 _(This wasn't how she wanted her debut to the world to go-)_

Chiyo raised her arms, as Yao got out the measuring tape. Her cheeks warmed in embarrassment at the thought of what her family would say.

 _(Bird-brain will laugh his ass off. Akito will have an aneurysm, and Asami will want pictures-)_

Almost instantly, Yaoyorozu had a cheerleader outfit ready for Chiyo's use. She mumbled her thanks to the girl, as she went to put it on.

After she was done, she did a quick twirl in the mirror. She clenched her pom poms and pasted a smile onto her face.

 _("Ya seemed kinda sad-")_

The outfit wasn't bad Chiyo mused. A bit revealing, but not bad. Yao had done a good job.

She made sure her tattoo was covered, and with one last look in the mirror, Chiyo walked out to join her classmates.

* * *

" _Class A! What kind of fanservice is that?!"_

Chiyo looked around hurriedly, and quickly noticed that no, _not_ everyone was doing this.

 _(I knew something was up-)_

She saw Kaminari and Mineta high fiving in the corner, and laughed slightly.

They may have been extreme perverts, but what they did was smart, Chiyo had to grudgingly admit. She patted Yaoyorozu's shoulder as the girl sunk to the ground.

"Why do I always fall for their schemes?" Yaoyorozu questioned forlornly, Chiyo just shrugged.

"It's not too bad," Chiyo stated, giving the taller girl a slight smile. "We just have to make the most of it-"

"Screw that!" Jirou replied, throwing her pom poms on the floor. Her earphone jacks flared slightly, as she crossed her arms. "Those idiots-"

"Kyouka-chan," Tooru reprimanded, waving her pom poms wildly. "We still have time before the final fights. Like Chiyo-chan said, let's just make the most of it!"

"Exactly Ru," Chiyo replied, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. She looked towards Jirou. "C'mon, it'll be fun,"

Jirou's face turned red, as Chiyo put the pom poms back in her hands.

"C'mon Ro," Chiyo stated, as her lips twitched upwards into a smirk. "Unless you're _scared_ ,"

Jirou glared at her, her earphone jacks raising threateningly. Chiyo just replied with a cheeky smile.

"... Oh alright," Jirou mumbled, as she looked down at her shoes. "But only because we're already in costume,"

Chiyo grinned at that, as she felt someone sidle up next to her.

"Where'd you go?" Mina questioned, waving her pom poms slightly. "You just left-"

"Sorry Mina-chin,' Chiyo replied hurriedly. "I just wanted to gather my thoughts a bit. It's… weird being in front of so many people,"

The pink-skinned girl nodded in understanding, before grinning impishly. She prodded Chiyo with an elbow.

"Are you and Shin-chan talking again? He didn't seem angry with you anymore-"

"We're not," Chiyo interrupted, before raising an eyebrow. "Have _you_ talked to him?"

Mina nodded her head, and Chiyo couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed at that.

 _(You talk to her and not me-)_

"Not much, though," Mina revealed. "If you're not there, then it isn't really the same. I think- I _know_ he misses you,"

Against her better judgement, Chiyo turned her gaze in search of the boy in question. He was resolutely not looking at her.

Her lips twitched downwards, as her wings drooped.

 _(Yeah, I highly doubt that-)_

"Whatever it is," Mina started off. "You should try and fix it soon. You're kinda sad without him. Same goes for him. I don't know what's going on but-"

Any previous annoyance she had towards the pink haired girl was automatically washed away with that comment. Chiyo wrapped the girl in a hug, her wings flaring as she did so.

"Thank you," She whispered. Her eyes burning slightly. "I know I don't say it often, but you're the best,"

Mina was quiet for a moment, before placing a hand to Chiyo's forehead. Her yellow eyes widened.

"Are you sick? What's gotten into you?" Mina questioned. "If you go to Recovery Girl she might-"

Chiyo just gave the girl another hug.

 _(She really didn't know what she'd do without Mina Ashido.)_

* * *

 _(What had she done to deserve friends like these?)_

* * *

"-going up against Kaminari," Jirou stated, patting Chiyo's back. "You better not lose,"

Chiyo blinked up at her.

"Huh?" She said as she took her sunglasses off. She looked up at the board.

 _Izuku Midoriya VS. Hitoshi Shinsou_

 _Hanta Sero VS. Shouto Todoroki_

 _Tenya Iida VS. Mei Hatsume_

 _Tsuyu Asui VS. Mina Ashido_

 _Momo Yaoyorozu VS. Fumikage Tokoyami_

 _Eijirou Kirishima VS. Mashirao Ojiro_

 _Chiyo Koumori VS. Denki Kaminari_

 _Katsuki Bakugou VS. Ochako Uraraka_

The blonde's eyes lit up at that, as he gave Chiyo a grin.

"It's alright Chiyo-chan," Kaminari stated happily, as he patted her head. "I'll go easy on you,"

Jirou snorted as Chiyo's eyes narrowed. She gave him a sharp grin, taking pleasure in how he moved back slightly at the sight of it.

 _(Oh she was_ _ **so**_ _kicking his ass-)_

"Good luck, Kami-sama," Chiyo replied, giving the boy a sickeningly sweet smile. The blonde nodded tentatively, as Han-chan just patted his back. She fiddled with her piercings, as her smile shifted down into a smirk. " _You're going to need it,"_

The blonde looked slightly shaken, but just nodded his head in reply. With a deep sigh, Chiyo looked back up at the board. Her eyes kept straying to the first match up.

 _(Shin-chan and Deku. She wanted both of them to do well-)_

They both needed to prove themselves in this match up. But there could only be one winner.

Chiyo didn't know who to root for.

 _(All I can do is focus on my own match, and no one else. If- **When** I win against Kami-sama I'm most likely fighting Baku. I gotta use my head-)_

Kaminari was long distance. She couldn't make close contact with him, because he'd just zap her.

 _(I gotta use that-)_

Bakugou was...incredible. An all around good fighter. His only downfall being his explosive temper. He wouldn't be an easy opponent.

She pitied Ochako for having to face him so early on.

 _(Even so… with so many people watching I can't afford to lose this. I have to do well-)_

She looked toward Bakugou, and was surprised to find the rather angry teen glaring back at her. She sent him a challenging smile.

 _(You better not underestimate me asshole-)_

With a scoff, the blonde teen just turned away causing Chiyo to roll her eyes.

The blonde's earlier words rung through Chiyo's head. 'I pledge to be number one'. Coming from anyone else, it would seem like a stupid dream.

Coming from Bakugou, however, it felt like a promise.

She clenched her pom poms, and joined the other girls of class A in cheering.

 _(She was going to prove herself-)_

* * *

She sat on the edge of her seat, as Shinsou and Midoriya made their way into the arena.

 _(Deku doesn't know how Shin-chan's quirk works. If Shin-chan just gets him to talk then it's game over. But if Deku uses his quirk then he may be able to get Shin-chan out of commission. Will Deku use his quirk-)_

"Mori-chan," Yaoyorozu stated softly. "You're bouncing,"

Chiyo gritted her teeth, and steeled herself.

 _(Stop this. Obsessing over it will change nothing-)_

"Just a bit nervous," Chiyo admitted. "I… I don't really know who to root for,"

Yao nodded at that, as she too watched the scene in front of them.

"It seems they're just talking now," Yaoyorozu noted. "Is it trash talk? No, Midoriya doesn't seem like the type-"

"Who do you think will win Yao?" Chiyo questioned. The black haired girl stroked her chin.

"If Midoriya displays the same strength he displayed at the USJ, then I think he has this in the bag. But Shinsou-san seems very talented as well. His quirk is… brainwashing of a sort, right? It seems very useful," Yaoyorozu replied, before turning towards the arena once more. "It… it depends on how far each one is willing to go,"

Chiyo just nodded at that. She put her hands together in anticipation, as Deku finally charged towards Shinsou.

* * *

 _Fun Fact: Chiyo has a major sweet tooth. Give her candy, and you'll automatically hold a place in her heart._

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki _chapter 17! I want to thank all the people that followed, favorited and reviewed the last chapter. We've passed _300_ follows, and I greatly appreciate it. By the next chapter, we should be finishing up the Sport's festival(I know I said this last chapter, but I mean it this time).

Things you Guys said:

 **How large are Chiyo's wings?** At their full size, her wings are three meters long. She keeps them folded on her back, however. It's important to note that her wings are still growing.

 **It would be really cool if Chiyo and Todoroki could bond over the fact that their moms are both in the hospital, and could visit them together or whatever. I feel like that would be a beneficial kind of friendship for both of them and really fun to read about.** (Reads this comment, and looks over future plans for story) Can you read minds? Even though Chiyo quite frankly hates Todoroki now, they will eventually realize they have a lot in common. I'm very excited for the day they become friends.

 **Are Toga and Chiyo ever going to run into each other before the whole kidnapping thing?** This would fall into spoiler category.

 **I have PTSD as well. Thank you for not glossing over Chiyo's trauma.** You're welcome, and I'm sorry that you have to suffer from PTSD. I just felt that it would be really unrealistic, and disrespectful to just gloss over what Chiyo went through. She's getting better, but she's still going to suffer from it. One day, she will be able to move past it, however. That's the main goal of this story. For Chiyo to learn that her past doesn't own her, and to finally move forward.

 **Does Chiyo have agoraphobia?** As I mentioned above, Chiyo suffers from PTSD. I can understand why you might've thought this, however.

 **How far will her admiration of Izuku go?** This also falls into spoiler category. But, I will say that Chiyo will put Deku on a bit of a pedestal.

 **I vote interning with the Pussycats.** We'll just have to wait and see…

Questions I have for you Guys:

How do you think Chiyo will fare when it's time for her own fight?

What questions do you guys have for me?


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

" _Chiyo-chan," She had whispered to her one night. "When we get out of here… is there anywhere you wanna go?"_

 _Chiyo rolled her eyes at the question, and turned to look at the pink haired girl. Her companion was resolutely staring at the ceiling, however._

" _Pinky," Chiyo replied softly. "We're not getting-"_

" _We are," The girl interrupted, her grey eyes shining. Her pink hair was like a curtain, Chiyo noted. Her fingers itched to run through them, like the girl had done to her multiple time before._

" _I… if the impossible happens," Chiyo joked, finally giving in and stroking the other girl's hair. She noticed how the girl's ears turned red, but made no comment on it. "I want… my mom told me about this one place,"_

 _For the first time, Hanami finally turned towards Chiyo. Her eyes brimming with curiosity._

" _What is it?" Hanami inquired. Chiyo felt her cheeks warm slightly, as she avoided the other girl's gaze._

" _San Miguel de Allende," Chiyo enunciated slightly flustered. Hanami blinked in confusion._

" _What's that?" The girl questioned, as Chiyo felt her cheeks warm even more. She mumbled to herself for a few moments, before eventually turning back towards the pink-haired girl._

" _It's…. It's where my mom met my dad," Chiyo revealed, causing Hanami to nod her head in understanding. Chiyo smiled fondly at the memory of how happy her mother had looked when she told Chiyo about the place. "It's in Mexico. I don't know who my dad is… but my mom said that the moment she saw him she_ _ **felt**_ _something. That once you step into that city you're destined to feel true happiness,"_

 _Chiyo froze, and schooled her features. The smile left her face in an instant, as she realized what she was doing._

" _But… there's no time to waste on fantasy-"_

" _I can take you there one day," Hanami offered, as she sat up. A bright smile decorated her face, as she nodded in determination. "All right! When we get out of here, we can travel the world. San…" Hanami looked towards Chiyo for help, causing the girl to roll her eyes fondly._

" _San Miguel de Allende," Chiyo supplied._

" _Yeah, that! That can be our first stop. Then we can go to Rome, Italy, France-"_

" _Rome is_ _ **in**_ _Italy-"_

" _The point is," Hanami stated, an easy smile on her face. "This isn't it! Our lives are just beginning!"_

 _The grin Hanami gave her was blinding._

" _The point is… we're going to find our own happiness one day," Hanami stated softly. She grabbed Chiyo's hand. "I promise you'll be happy Chiyo-chan,"_

 _Chiyo's eyes burned, as she hurriedly looked away from the other girl. She rubbed her eyes quickly before turning back._

" _What about the crybaby? How do you think she'll feel about our little excursion?"_

 _Hanami blinked at that, as her ears turned red once more._

" _Of course Himi-chan will come with us!" The girl said, slightly flustered. "It'd be weird if it was just us. I mean-"_

" _Take a breather Pinky," Chiyo replied, holding back a slight laugh. "Obviously she'd come too. Since we're talking about fantasy, once we get out of here I'll even buy her an ice cream cone. I can't believe she's never had ice cream,"_

 _Hanami just nodded at that, but Chiyo could tell that she had lost a bit of her earlier vigor. She nudged the girl with her wing._

" _The crybaby's strong," Chiyo informed. "She'll make it through. Maybe Adachi will go easy on her testing group,"_

 _Hanami froze at that, before slapping her cheeks._

" _Yeah, yeah," Hanami mumbled, before pulling her knees to her chest. "I… I knew Himi-chan wasn't here. But I… had almost forgotten_ _ **where**_ _she was,"_

 _Chiyo's eyes widened slightly at that, before she looked down at her feet._

" _Yeah… it can be so easy to forget where we are," Chiyo stated grimly. "It's like we're living in a horror movie. Getting killed off one by one-"_

" _ **Don't,"**_ _Hanami interrupted firmly, before looking down at her shoes. "...Please don't say things like that,"_

 _Chiyo remained silent for a few moments, before nodding her head._

" _Sorry," Chiyo mumbled. "But… y'know something Pinky?"_

 _Hanami's ears perked up slightly._

" _... Even though our situation is… awful. I am happy," Chiyo revealed causing the other girl to look at her in shock. Chiyo grinned up at her, and pulled her knees up to her chest in a similar manner to her pink-haired companion._

" _You and Toga," Chiyo informed. "You make me happy. You make me feel emotions I've never felt before. Thank you for that,"_

 _Hanami blinked down at her, as her ears turned red once more. She covered her face, and let out a squeak._

" _Chiyo-chan, you can't just spring things like that onto people!" The girl said, slightly flustered. Chiyo looked back at her with slight confusion._

" _It's the truth-"_

" _Even so," The girl replied. "It's… you just can't-"_

 _Chiyo placed a hand on Hanami's shoulder, breaking the girl from her ramblings. Her eyes crinkled slightly, as she smiled up at Hanami once more._

" _Thank you," Chiyo whispered. "You guys make me happy,"_

 _Hanami just nodded, as her face continued to turn interesting shades of red._

" _You get embarrassed over the smallest things," Chiyo informed, pulling Hanami's cheeks. A teasing smile came over her face. "_ _ **Nerd,**_ "

 _Hanami just groaned, and covered her face._

* * *

 _(Hanami got flustered easily, Chiyo recalled. She never got that way around anyone else. So why only her-)_

* * *

Chiyo clenched her hands together, as Deku froze.

 _(Just what had they been talking about?)_

Like clockwork, Deku turned around and headed to exit the arena. Chiyo felt her breath catch.

 _(I… I didn't want him to lose so early on. But… I'm happy Shin-chan's going to win-)_

Chiyo watched in trepidation, as the audience looked at the scene in confusion.

" _Midoriya's being so obedient!"_ Present Mic exclaimed, as multiple people agreed with the man. " _What's going on?!"_

Chiyo leaned forward even more, as Shinsou kept talking to Deku's retreating form.

 _(What is he saying? Why can't I hear-)_

Chiyo strained her ears, but found that no matter what she did, she couldn't hear the conversation. She instead picked up comments from other random observers.

" _The purple-haired kid has an interesting quirk,"_ She could hear someone say. " _But if he's not in the hero course, then he can't be that special,"_

Chiyo felt her blood run cold at that, as she looked for the source of that comment.

A group of students- _The business course_ \- nodded their head in agreement, as Chiyo finally set her eyes on them. She clenched her fists, as she glared at the place they were standing.

 _(How dare they? What right did they have-)_

Someone placed a hand on her shoulder, and Chiyo turned around to see Yao shake her head.

"Ignore them," She whispered. "They can't help it, it's their job to think like that,"

Chiyo just nodded as she turned back to the arena. No matter what she did, however, her fists wouldn't unclench. She couldn't wipe the boy's words from her head.

 _(They… they didn't even know Shin-chan. What right did they have-)_

"It's just… I hate when people do that," Chiyo mumbled, as she fiddled with her piercings. "Unless they have the ability to see the future, they can't say _anything_ -"

"I know," Yao replied, patting Chiyo's back. She granted the girl a smile. "Shinsou-san already seems to be proving himself. He made quick use of his quirk-"

A gust of wind passed against Chiyo's cheek, as she quickly turned back towards the arena. Her eyes widened, as Deku froze in his tracks.

 _(Did Shin-chan cancel the brainwashing? No-)_

"How the hell?" Chiyo mumbled as she leaned forward even more. Yao held onto the back of her shirt, so she wouldn't fall forward.

She could faintly hear Present Mic exclaiming his observations, but Chiyo paid them no mind. Her eyes were solely on Deku.

 _(His fingers are broken… don't tell me he fired off a blast while he was being controlled-What's Shin-chan going to do-)_

Even though she couldn't hear the exact words coming out of Shinsou's mouth, she could… _feel_ the annoyance and helplessness that coated them. Chiyo clenched her fists.

 _(Why are you still worried about him? He's the one that refused to listen-)_

Chiyo gripped the railing, as she watched Deku charge towards Shinsou once more. The purple haired boy put up a sloppy guard.

 _(No, he'll break through that-Place your arms in a different position-)_

"Come on Shin-chan!" Chiyo eventually called out, standing up abruptly. "Put your back into it for crying out loud!"

Shinsou seemed to freeze at that for a moment, as Deku landed a solid punch to his face. Chiyo winced at the sight, and gripped the railing even harder.

"The hell was that!" Chiyo exclaimed, as Yao tugged on the back of her shirt. The taller girl prompted her to sit down, but Chiyo ignored her.

"If you lose in a stupid way, I won't let you hear the end of it! If you don't want me to rub this in your face later, then get a decent punch in-"

Shinsou landed a punch on Deku's nose, throwing the boy off for a moment. Chiyo grinned at that, before going to cheer once more.

"C'mon Deku! Don't let him win either!"

"Mori-chan," Yao intervened, looking a bit confused. "Who are you rooting for exactly?"

Chiyo just shrugged as she sat back down, looking extremely satisfied.

"Both of them. I want them both to do well, so I'm not gonna root against the other," Chiyo explained, as she fiddled with her piercings. "I can't control who wins… but I want them both to do their best,"

Yao just nodded slowly, as she turned back to the arena.

".. I see," The taller girl mumbled. "I have to admit… I didn't expect it to get this intense,"

"Me neither!" Chiyo replied happily. "I'm getting pumped just watching,"

She watched on, as the two boys traded blows. Deku obviously had more experience, but… Chiyo noticed something different in Shinsou.

 _(Had he been practicing?)_

Chiyo winced, as Deku dodged an admittedly sloppy punch from Shinsou. The green haired boy took Shinsou's arm, and then proceeded to slam him out of bounds.

Chiyo felt her stomach drop.

 _(Not yet-He had been doing so well-)_

" _Izuku Midoriya wins!"_

* * *

Chiyo looked down at her cellphone, contemplating her next choice of action.

 _(Should I or Shouldn't I?)_

She eventually gave in, and typed a quick message on her cell before hurriedly putting it away. She watched on as Han-chan and the _bastard_ made their way into the arena.

 _(It's probably wishful thinking to hope Han-chan will win-)_

The moment Present Mic called for the match to start, Chiyo slid forward on her seat once more as Han-chan dispensed tape towards the bastard in an instant.

"Throw his ass out of the ring!' Chiyo exclaimed, ignoring Yao's reprimanding look.

"Koumori-kun!" Iida called out, causing Chiyo to jump slightly. "We shouldn't use such foul language when referring to our classmates!"

Chiyo crossed her arms, but remained silent once more. Ochako giggled slightly.

"You're really pumped today Chiyo-chan! I've never seen you like this before!" The brunette girl exclaimed as she pumped her fist slightly. "It's kinda nice,"

Chiyo just rubbed the back of her head, as Deku made his way down the aisle.

"It's kinda exciting seeing people go at it like this," Chiyo admitted. An easy grin came over her face. "Don't you think so?"

Ochako nodded in agreement before turning towards Deku, congratulating him on his win. The boy blushed at the praise, and Chiyo's lips twitched up at that.

"Good job, Deku," Chiyo stated, giving the boy a thumbs up. The boy looked slightly surprised for a moment, before grinning. Chiyo was taken aback by the intensity of it.

"Thanks!" He replied rubbing the back of his head.

 _(He's so bright-It's slightly endearing-)_

A gust of cold air washed over Chiyo, as she hurriedly turned back towards the arena. Her jaw dropped as she saw half the arena covered in ice. She brought her arms closer to her in order to preserve heat.

"Is he on his period?" Chiyo gritted out, her wings trembling due to the cold. "Why the hell did he-"

"K-Koumori-kun!' Iida called out, as he too shivered in the cold. "Don't use foul language-"

"Oh come on-"

" _Sero-kun,"_ She heard Midnight call out. " _Are you unable to continue?"_

Chiyo looked at Han-chan with pitying eyes, as she could only assume he said yes. She attempted to keep a blank face as the audience started chanting 'Don't worry about it' in hopes of cheering Han-chan on.

 _(When this is over, I fully intend on teasing him about this-)_

The bastard walked closer to him, and pressed one of his hands to the ice. He started to melt the ice, as Chiyo raised her eyebrows.

 _(I saw it during the Heroes vs. Villains team up, but I'm still not sure if it's just a heating quirk or not-)_

Chiyo scowled at the dual hair colored boy. Her scowl lessened, as she saw the slightly guilty look in the boy's eyes.

 _(I never noticed how pretty his eyes were-)_

Chiyo slapped her cheeks, as she watched the boy continue to melt the ice. She felt the area start to warm up, and fluttered her wings in response.

 _(He is pretty talented-Maybe I should-)_

The thought of becoming friends with Todoroki, crossed Chiyo's mind for only a millisecond, before she shook her head. She placed her head in her hands with a scowl

 _(What could I possibly have in common with that pretty boy-)_

It was true, she thought bitterly. Todoroki was perfect in almost every aspect. He had control over his mind, while she still got panic attacks over the smallest things. He had a quirk that made him almost unbeatable, and he had mastery over that quirk.

 _(He was so far ahead of her-)_

Chiyo watched the boy for a few more moments, before standing up abruptly. Yao stared at her in confusion.

"Mori-chan-"

"I'm gonna get something to drink," Chiyo decided, as she turned towards the door. "I won't be long,"

Yao just nodded, as Chiyo hightailed it out of there. She fiddled with her piercings, focusing on the clacking noise it created.

Jogging lightly, Chiyo went in search of the vending machine.

 _(No matter how badly I talk about Todoroki… he's a much better person than I am-)_

A lot of people in her class were better than her she realized, as she waited for her drink to exit the machine. Wanting to be heroes for admirable reasons, instead of her more selfish one.

 _(She couldn't even imagine the look on some of her classmates faces if she told them-All because she wanted an answer to the easiest question in the world-Everyone else knew, so why not her-_ _ **What did it mean to be a hero?)**_

Chiyo chugged her drink, and wiped her mouth as she tossed the can into a nearby trash can. Her mouth was in a straight line.

 _(If I do well in this, I can prove that I deserve to be a hero too. No matter how shallow the motivation-)_

Faintly, she could hear the chatter of the arena. She pressed her back against the wall.

 _(I think I'll just stay here for a bit-)_

Chiyo hummed a slow tune to herself, as she listened faintly to Present Mic's narration.

* * *

It was time for her own match.

She walked to her place in the arena, desperately ignoring the hundreds of eyes currently on her.

 _(Breathe in and out-)_

" _On one end,"_ Present Mic started off. " _We have another one of our recommended students! Don't let her tiny frame fool you, however. She's full of determination! Chiyo Koumori from class 1A!"_

Chiyo fiddled with her piercings, as the crowd cheered loudly for her.

" _On the other end, from class 1A as well. We have Denki Kaminari!"_ The man stated excitedly. " _I'm sure the audience will get a shock from watching him!"_

Chiyo winced at that, as she gave Kami-sama an apologetic look.

"Sorry about that," She stated, as she stretched out her right arm. "He thinks he's funny but…"

"You got a way better intro than I did," The blonde complained. "He hyped you up!"

Chiyo just shrugged, as Kami-sama gave her an easy grin from across the floor. Chiyo returned it easily enough.

"No hard feelings?" He called out, as he stretched his arms. Chiyo nodded, as she hopped on one foot.

"Of course not," She replied, switching feet. "I wouldn't want you to hate me after I beat you,"

Kami-sama scowled at that.

"You're pretty confident aren't you?" he started off, as a teasing grin came over his face. "I know… after _I_ beat _you_ ," The boy stated. "How about you treat me to some hamburgers?"

"Are you asking me out Kami-sama?" Chiyo questioned, as she placed strands of her hair behind her ears. "You're a nice guy… but not exactly my type," The blonde scoffed playfully.

"You'd be _lucky_ to get a guy like me-"

" _Begin!"_ Midnight called out, interrupting their banter.

In an instant, Kami-sama dispensed electricity in Chiyo's direction. The shorter girl fluttered her wings, pulling them to their full wingspan.

She waited until the electricity was only inches away from her, before taking to the air. She felt a slight zap, as she rose above.

"What was that you said?" Kami-sama stated teasingly "I thought you were gonna beat me?".

Chiyo narrowed her eyes, as she pulled her knees to her chest and performed a somersault midair.

"I fully intend to asshole!" Chiyo replied as she sent a kick towards him. The blonde's eyes widened slightly in surprise, as he attempted to dodge. Chiyo's muscles strained, as she spun around, and landed a kick to his temple.

Immediately, Chiyo felt overwhelmed. Kami-sama grinned at her, as electricity filled her senses.

"Sorry Chiyo-chan!" he called out, pressing his hands together as electricity dwarfed the both of them. "This is it!"

Chiyo gritted her teeth, as her eyes burned slightly.

( _No… this can't be it- Red feathers wafted through the room-"Knock em dead kid"-People were watching her-)_

Chiyo grabbed onto Kami-sama's shoulders, sinking her fangs into her bottom lip to combat the pain.

 _(Green eyes stared down at her as she was being tied down. He held a remote control in his hand, that she desperately tried to ignore. Dead bodies surrounded her._

" _It's alright Chiyo-chan," he said softly, moving to stroke her cheek. "The pain will only be temporary. Megumi will fix you right up afterwards,"_

 _She felt her eyes burn, but refused to let a single tear fall down her cheek._

" _What about everyone else?" She croaked, as Adachi's eyes dimmed._

" _They were much too whiny," The man replied, running a hand through her hair. "You on the other hand…"_

 _He leaned closer to her, and Chiyo wanted nothing more than to tear him down where he stood._

" _You're one of my favorites," he whispered._

 _Chiyo remained silent at that, as the man smiled down at her once more._

" _You look so much like your mother," He finished off, causing Chiyo to raise her head in shock._

 _He pressed the button, and soon all she knew was pain.)_

Chiyo _**screamed**_.

 _(That's right… you've felt this before-)_

In an instant, the electricity stopped. Kami-sama's eyes seemed to dull as Chiyo continuously emitted large sound waves towards him.

She could faintly see members of the audience holding their ears as well.

She breathed in, as the blonde became frozen. Her hands immediately went to her throat, as she realized she still had the ability to speak. She looked towards Present Mic, and smiled.

The man just gave her a thumbs up.

Midnight rubbed her ears, as she looked at the scene in slight surprise.

" _Chiyo Koumori wins!"_ The woman called out, as Chiyo gently laid Kami-sama down onto the ground. She gave him an apologetic smile, as she shook slightly from the electricity she had previously been forced to endure.

"Sorry about that," She whispered. "I should've held back a bit,"

Kami-sama just nodded his head, as a dopey look came over his face. Chiyo wasn't even sure he could understand her.

She walked with him, as he was taken out of the arena.

* * *

She watched with bated breath, as Ochako charged towards Baku. Pure determination and helplessness present in her brown eyes as rocks that she had made float, dropped to the ground in one last act of desperation.

Baku raised his hand, and other than the sound of his blast, Chiyo could hear nothing else. It was almost as if time froze.

All Chiyo could see was Ochako getting blown away, and her hopes getting blown away as well.

 _(She had worked so hard-)_

She could faintly see Jirou covering her eyes. Tsu- _who had won her fight against Mina_ \- looked on worriedly, as Ochako struggled to crawl towards Baku. Chiyo felt disgusted with herself.

 _(How could I? I thought I was better than them-How could I think something like that when they're all working this hard-)_

Chiyo clenched her fists, as she looked down in shame.

Even though she hid it, a part of her thought that her being recommended made her better than her classmates. Stronger than them.

 _(I'm just as arrogant as Baku. Just as arrogant as the bastard-)_

Chiyo watched on, as Ochako passed out in the middle of the arena. She pushed her sunglasses onto her face even more.

 _(How disgusting-)_

"I never realized Chako-chin was this strong," Chiyo admitted, as she crossed her arms. "I thought… I thought that Baku would defeat her in an instant,"

Yao nodded her head slowly.

"I… I'm a bit surprised as well. I didn't expect this from Uraraka-san," Yao replied, as a slightly sad look came over her face. "At least she put up a good fight,"

Chiyo placed her hand on Yao's shoulder, and shook her head.

"Yao, you've gotta stop beating yourself up. Tokoyami isn't an easy opponent. I doubt even the bastard- er, _Todoroki_ would have had an easy time with him," Chiyo replied, as she smiled softly. "You may not have won, but at least you made it to the finals. That's pretty amazing in its own right,"

Yao nodded at that, but Chiyo didn't miss how there was still a dark look in her obsidian eyes.

 _(I guess this isn't something you can get over easily. If I had lost to Kami-sama I'd probably be worse than this-)_

Chiyo watched on, as the first round concluded.

* * *

"You're a bit crazy aren't you?"

Chiyo rolled her eyes at the observation before looking in back of her. Shinsou gave her an unimpressed look as he handed her a can of juice. Chiyo looked down at it intensely, before going to take it.

"I have no idea what you mean," Chiyo replied innocently, as Shinsou just stared at her.

"Willingly electrocuting yourself," Shinsou brought forth, as he chugged his own drink. "Does that ring a bell?"

"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine. Kami-sama was holding back-"

"Even so," Shinsou interrupted. "It was reckless,"

"Who cares?" Chiyo retorted. "Sometimes you gotta live life on the edge. I won and that's all that matters,"

"You were shaking afterwards," The purple haired boy brought forth, causing Chiyo to scowl.

"Why the hell do you even care? I thought you were done with me," Chiyo replied as she chugged the can into the trash can. She rounded on Shinsou, and pressed a finger to his chest.

"Worry about yourself. That fight with Deku was sloppy. Your guard was weak, and your punches didn't have enough power behind them-"

"You just can't help it can you," Shinsou drawled, causing Chiyo to scowl even more.

"Help what?"

"Criticizing people,"

"Like you're one to talk," Chiyo said, as she fiddled with her piercings. "What was the whole reason you came over here again-"

"Thank you," Shinsou interrupted, causing Chiyo to look up at him in shock.

"What-"

"For cheering me on," he replied as he rubbed the back of his head. "And for sending the text,"

Chiyo just stared at the boy, before crossing her arms.

"It was nothing. Sides, I cheered for Deku too, so don't go feeling _too_ special-"

"I… I'm still a bit pissed at you," Shinsou admitted slowly. "But… I wasn't exactly fair to you either,"

Chiyo remained silent at that, as she fiddled with her piercings once more. Shinsou snorted at the notion.

"I almost forgot how much you did that," The purple haired boy admitted, putting his hands in his pockets. Chiyo smiled slightly at that.

"We haven't really spent much time together," Chiyo admitted, before frowning slightly. "Shin-chan… I'm sorry things got so bad between us-"

"It wasn't entirely your fault," The boy admitted. "I was being a dumb ass. You don't have to tell me everything-"

"I want to," Chiyo replied heatedly. "You're right. I did lie to you, and you deserve to know the truth,"

 _(Adachi, Toga, Hanami-)_

She wanted to tell him.

"Why don't you come over for dinner?" Chiyo questioned. "I think Hiroto misses playing shogi with you. He doesn't say it outright, but…"

Shinsou let out a slight laugh at that.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," He mused, as he began to walk away. He stopped abruptly, however, and turned back towards Chiyo.

"I still fully intend to be a hero," the boy declared. "Just because I lost means nothing,"

"I know," Chiyo replied, a smile coming over her face. "You're much too stubborn for your own good,"

Shinsou nodded as he walked away. Chiyo smiled at his retreating back.

She felt… lighter.

* * *

 _(Deku VS. Todoroki)_

Chiyo watched on, as the two boys seemed to practically dance around each other. Todoroki shooting ice towards Deku, and the green haired boy blasting his fingers in response. Chiyo winced as she saw the boy deal more and more damage to his body.

"Deku needs to get it together," Chiyo stated, as she gripped the railing. "If he keeps hurting himself, Todoroki's just gonna-"

"Mori-chan," Yao soothed. "Calm down. Midoriya-san knows what he's doing, I'm sure. Todoroki isn't an easy opponent-"

"That's exactly why, Yao," Chiyo retorted. "Deku has to-"

"Mori-chan," Yao started off slowly. "Why do you dislike Todoroki-san so much?"

Chiyo froze at that, before pushing out a nervous laugh.

"I don't hate him-"

"You do," Yao interrupted. "It's like… you're afraid of him almost,"

Chiyo froze at that, as she fiddled with her piercings.

 _(Her? Scared of Todoroki? What a joke-)_

She froze as she thought over her interactions with the dual hair colored boy. She mostly tried to avoid him.

 _(Todoroki was perfection-_ _ **He**_ _had prized perfection above all else-_ _ **He**_ _was perfection as well-Even though Chiyo had_ _ **hated**_ _him, a sick and twisted part of her had admired him as well-)_

Chiyo watched the fight continue, as her eyes took on a slightly blank look.

 _(Was she afraid of Todoroki?)_

Chiyo looked towards Yaoyorozu, and the taller girl was slightly taken aback by the look on Chiyo's face.

"He's… he's perfect," Chiyo replied simply. "Don't you think that's a bit scary?"

Todoroki was something she could never hope to be.

Yaoyorozu remained silent, before shaking her head.

"Nobody's perfect, Mori-chan," Yaoyorozu replied. "Even someone as talented as Todoroki-san,"

Chiyo just pressed her lips into a thin line, as she watched the fight below.

Midoriya's entire hand was broken, Chiyo noticed, as the green haired boy landed a hit to Todoroki's abdomen. Chiyo held her breath, as the boy just summoned a block of ice to keep him upright.

Midoriya was… yelling something. Chiyo strained her ears, and leaned forward even more.

 _"It's yours!"_ She could make out. _"Yours not his!"_

She scrunched her nose in confusion, as she sat back down.

 _(What the hell are they talking about-)_

She noticed Todoroki freeze for a moment, and Chiyo felt her mouth dry.

 _(Why is he stopping-)_

Before she knew it, a blast of heat brushed against her, forcing her to focus on the arena once more.

Flames decorated Todoroki's left side, causing Chiyo's breath to hitch.

 _(Everything was burning-He grinned down at her as she was being burned alive-)_

"He's terrifying," Chiyo whispered. Yaoyorozu nodded slightly.

"He can't properly control the flames," Yaoyorozu realized. "It's much sloppier than his ice control,"

 _(Fire and ice. Some people were blessed with it all-)_

Midoriya seemed to jump up, as he surged towards Todoroki. The boy raised his left palm in response. The teachers desperately tried to stop the fight, as Chiyo dug her nails into her palm.

What happened next was pure destruction.

* * *

She stared down at the arena in awe, as the dust finally cleared. Todoroki was still in the arena, breathing heavily. Midoriya on the other hand…

His arms were shattered Chiyo noticed grimly. He slid down against the wall, and flopped to the ground like a rag doll.

Everyone watched on, as Midnight declared Todoroki the winner. The boy seemed slightly shaken.

Chiyo wrapped her arms around herself, as her wings wilted slightly.

She… she was nothing compared to this. The fight had been nothing but pure power.

The grey skinned girl watched on as Midoriya got carted away. She could faintly hear Ochako going to see him.

Chiyo took a deep breath, and steeled herself.

 _(After that, she couldn't afford to lose face. She had to do well-)_

She clenched her fists, as they called for a break to fix the stadium.

 _(They were both so amazing-)_

* * *

She walked down to the arena, Bakugou walking in on the opposite side of her. She narrowed her eyes, as the blonde scoffed at her.

"You might as well quit now, Shrimp," He said mockingly. "We all know how this is gonna go,"

"Do we?" Chiyo challenged. "I didn't know you could see the future,"

"I don't need to see the future to know that I'm gonna kick your ass," Bakugou replied disinterestedly. "Give up now,"

Chiyo clenched her fists, and glared at him.

"The only way you're gonna see me give up," Chiyo countered, "Is if you're physically holding me down. If you can't do that… well you're gonna be sorely disappointed,"

" _Begin!"_ Midnight called out. Bakugou grinned darkly, as explosions left his palms.

 _"Don't say I didn't warn ya!"_ He yelled as he propelled himself towards her. Chiyo gritted her teeth, and spun around. Using her wings to knock him backwards. She grinned down at him, as she saw him get thrown back.

"I told you not to underestimate me," Chiyo whispered, her claws bared as she ran towards him. Bakugou narrowed his eyes, as she got ready to strike.

* * *

 _Omake: Chiyo's family reacting to her_ _cheer leading_

"What the hell is she wearing?" Saburo asked, as he leaned forward to get a better look. Akane and Asami cooed at the screen.

"She looks so _cute_! This _is_ being recorded right?" Akane questioned, as Hinata saddled up next to her. The boy looked at the screen, and squinted his eyes.

"Chi looks weird," Hinata decided, as he stole a potato chip from Akane's plate. "She said she hated orange,"

"Oh hush," Tsubaki interrupted, bopping the boy's nose lightly. "She looks splendid. Like a proper young lady," Hinata scrunched his nose in disgust.

"Chi doesn't care about being _prope_ r-"

"Monkey boy wants to know if we're recording this," Masago stated as she looked down at her phone. Saburo looked over her shoulder, and snorted as he too read the message. "'Blackmail material' he says,"

"I think Chiyo-chan looks very nice," Yasuo replied serenely, as he sipped his drink. "I don't appreciate that guy staring at her, however-"

"Why does Takahiro keep texting me?" Akito questioned as he walked into the room. "He keeps telling me to look at the TV. I thought the Sports Festival was on break-"

Akito froze upon seeing the TV screen. Asami gave him a pitying look as she went to pat his shoulder.

"Dear, don't freak out-"

"Who's freaking out?" Akito questioned lightly, as he chugged a glass of water. "She looks very… nice,"

Asami smiled at him, but faltered upon seeing the look in his eyes.

"That guy in the back needs to watch himself, however," Akito stated, as he sat down. Asuka crawled between his legs, completely oblivious to her surroundings as she floated multiple pencils around her. "He's leering-"

"He's barely even looking at her," Asami countered. "He's wearing a gym suit, so I'm sure he goes to UA as well-"

Hiroto let out a yawn, as he walked into the room. Akito's eye twitched slightly at the sight of his father, but he resolutely stared at the TV screen.

"Why does Takahiro-kun keep texting me?" He questioned as he took the seat next to Hinata. "I thought it was on break-"

Hiroto froze, as his eyes landed on the TV screen.

Pure raucous laughter escaped him, as he keeled over.

"Please tell me this is being recorded," The man stated, as tears squeezed out of his eyes. His phone beeped, and his laughter only increased as he read the message.

"Never mind, Takahiro-kun's already on it," He let out struggling to control his laughter. Hinata patted his back, as Tsubaki scowled slightly at that.

"Honestly Hiroto-san," Tsubaki reprimanded. "Don't you think you're being a bit immature?"

Hiroto stared at the woman, contemplating her words. His phone beeped once more, and laughter overtook him as he read the final message.

"Nope!" he cackled as he walked into the kitchen. Tsubaki just sighed.

"Poor Chiyo-chan," The woman stated, as she watched the girl cheer happily.

* * *

 _Fun fact: San Miguel de Allende is a real place._

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 18! I know I said this would be the last chapter of the Sports Festival, but I _promise_ the next one will be. I feel as if this chapter was a bit rushed, but I hope you guys enjoyed it anyways. A lot happened this chapter, and next chapter will kick start with Chiyo VS. Bakugou. I want to thank all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed the last chapter. I greatly appreciate it! We're almost at 100 reviews, and we've passed _200_ favorites and _300_ follows. Thank you guys for the support!

Things you Guys said:

 **I'm not particularly fond that Chiyo is closely tied to quite a few canon characters. One or two would be understandable, because you have to start somewhere, but a handful is a bit of a stretch. (Posted on chapter 9)** I admit that I did tie Chiyo to closely to some of the canon characters. At the time I wrote the chapter, however, I didn't think much of it. Your criticism is appreciated, and I hope that this little tidbit didn't take your enjoyment of the story away.

 **I'm kinda curious as to Aizawa's dislike of her, though; is it just one of those "unreliable narrator" things, since we only see things from Chiyo's perspective so they might not be the complete truth? Does he see her half-hearted motivations to be a hero? And I'm not saying her current reasons are bad, but she's still figuring them out herself, as she's stated before.** Aizawa doesn't dislike Chiyo. Chiyo is very much an unreliable narrator, and it was just her exaggerating. I plan to write more of him soon, so I hope you guys look forward to that.

 **I'm rooting for ChiyoTodoroki(Choroki perhaps. What do you think?)** As I said, I am taking suggestions when it comes to the pairing. Right now, it's still OC/?, so I don't know who Chiyo will be paired with. I plan to put up a poll later on in the story, after I get to a certain point. (P.S. Choroki sounds wonderful)

 **Chiyo's skin is grey right, is it's texture like normal skin or is it different? Is it soft?** Chiyo's skin color is grey. While it does have the appearance of normal skin, it's slightly softer in texture.

 **Are her wings tough or do they get injured easily?** Her wings are essentially second limbs, so they are pretty tough. It just depends on how much she trains them.

 **Is the Todoroki family gonna be a big part of the story?** I'm not gonna say much on this front, but they will play a role later on. It really depends on what your definition of 'big' is.(They're not gonna be a main focus, if that's what you mean)

 **The whole fight with Shinsou is making me so saaaad, I love this story and the fact that Chiyo is kinda based off Marceline made me love it 100x more. Also I was kinda wondering if Hanami was inspired by princess bubblegum a little bit? I dunno, I just kinda got that vibe from her 3** Hanami was inspired by Princess Bubblegum, and Chiyo by Marceline. I was really hoping someone would see that, so I'm glad you did. Admittedly, I'm not caught up with AT(I watched the finale, but I missed some seasons), but these two were always some of my favorite characters. While their personalities differ, they definitely share similar features appearance wise.(Bubbline was always one of my OTP's so I'm glad it's canon). Shinsou and Chiyo made up this chapter a bit, so I hope that brightened your day a bit.

 **Personally I'm rooting for shinsou/chiyo!** I'm putting up a poll eventually, so ShiYo(Shinsou x Chiyo) has a chance!

 **Are you going to write omakes for Meraki?** I don't usually write omakes, but I will if you guys want me to. This omake that I wrote this chapter was actually my first one. Just leave suggestions as to what you would like to see.

 **Does Chiyo still do gymnastics and is it incorporated in her fighting style?** While she doesn't actually go to her old gymnastics team anymore, she still does incorporate gymnastics into her fighting style.

Questions I have for you Guys:

How do you guys feel about the fight scenes(Fight scenes aren't my forte, so any criticism is welcome)

What questions do you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I love reading your reviews, so don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

" _You want to know how… to make friends?" Umeko questioned, as she fiddled with her piercings. Chiyo nodded her head resolutely._

" _Yeah," Chiyo replied, clenching her fists. "I don't… since I don't go to school I can't really meet a lot of people, and… I'm not sure what the best course of action in order to obtain friends is-"_

 _("If you have friends, your time here will be easier-"-The only other friends she had ever had were_ _**gone-**_ _)_

 _Chiyo looked down at her hands, and steeled herself._

" _Friends make things easier," Chiyo announced, as her cheeks warmed. "I… I want things to be easier,"_

 _Umeko stared at her for a few moments, before smiling slightly._

" _What do you think a friend is?" Umeko questioned, causing Chiyo to blink owlishly at her._

" _Someone you can have fun with, someone you can joke with, someone-"_

 _("Shut it Vampire,"-"You're amazing Chiyo-chan-")_

 _A sad smile consumed Chiyo's features, as she looked back at Umeko. The raven haired woman froze, at the sight of the girl's gaze. Obsidian eyes widening, as Chiyo rubbed at her eyes._

 _Red eyes crinkled, as she let out a slight laugh._

" _Someone who makes you_ _ **happy**_ _,"_

* * *

She swiped at Bakugou's face, grinning at the sight of his eyes narrowing in pure fury. She back flipped with ease, as the blonde sent an explosive blast her way.

"That all you got Baku?" She taunted, as the blonde rushed towards her.

 _(Make him angry. Make him do something stupid-)_

He wasn't as fast as Hawks, and he wasn't as strong as Mirio, Chiyo quickly noticed. She winced as he caught her in the abdomen with a fierce blow, however.

He was still plenty strong despite those two facts, Chiyo realized as she quickly got up and rubbed her stomach. She instantly took to the air, and flipped herself to the other side of the arena.

Bakugou was near her in an instant.

Chiyo scowled, as she dodged some more of his angrier blows. She squatted down, and attempted to sweep his feet.

In the back of her mind, she could hear Present Mic narrating the events. She pulled her leg back, and aimed a kick for her opponent's abdomen.

She relished as the kick connected.

"C'mon Baku," Chiyo taunted as she back flipped away from him once more. "I thought you were gonna kick my ass? You haven't succeeded yet-"

A punch connected to her chin, throwing her head upwards. Her sunglasses flew off, and she could see Bakugou snarl out of the corner of her eye.

"I hate cocky bastards like you-"

"You're one to talk!" Chiyo countered heatedly, as she grabbed his hand, and slammed him in front of her. "You could stand to be knocked down a few pegs!"

The smell of nitroglycerin invaded her senses, as yet another blast connected to her face. Her eyes burned as she was knocked backwards.

She rubbed at her eyes furiously, as Bakugou threatened to close the distance once more.

Chiyo put her arm up in a protective guard as she contemplated her next course of action.

She wasn't quite sure she could beat Bakugou in a one on one fight, so her only option was to knock him out of bounds.

 _(Use his anger against him-)_

"Y'know Baku," Chiyo drawled as she dodged more of his blows. "You're kinda slow. I've met old ladies that move faster than you,"

Which… wasn't a _complete_ lie. Tsubaki could be plenty fast, especially whenever one of her drama shows came on. Kino had just convinced the elder woman to get a TV-

Smoke clouded her vision, as Bakugou sent off another blast in her direction.

"You're fucking annoying shrimp," Bakugou let out, as he stretched his right arm. His red eyes… lit up in a way Chiyo couldn't quite understand, as he shot towards her once more. " _I'll shut that mouth for you!"_

Chiyo's eyes widened as Bakugou landed blow after blow on her person. Heat exploded in her jaw as she felt him shove his fist into her left cheek.

She could hear murmurs in the audience. Whispers of 'Not again', and 'She's only a little girl' swarming the arena. Chiyo clenched her fist, as she rolled out of the way from Bakugou's assault.

She let her wings spread to their wingspan, obscuring Bakugou's sight for a moment.

 _(I can't afford to lose face. Not here, not now-)_

She squatted down, using her left wing to defend against Bakugou's assault. She snarled, as she ran her fist upwards into his chin. He just grabbed her arm, however, and slammed her forward, copying her earlier tactic.

 _(His drive to win is strong. But even so-)_

Chiyo bared her claws, and ran them across Bakugou's face, noticing how his cheeks were suddenly streaked with red. Taking advantage of his moment of weakness, Chiyo surged forward.

She felt a sense of euphoria as she met Bakugou blow for blow. The grin she sent him was feral, as Bakugou glared back at her.

"The fuck are you smiling at, shrimp?" he hissed, as he landed a blow on her stomach. Chiyo continued to smile, despite the pain.

"Fighting you like this… unrestrained… it's kinda fun," Chiyo admitted, as harsh rugged breaths escaped her. "Let's do this again sometime-"

He landed a harsh blow to her cheek, knocking her backwards. Explosions danced on the tips of his palms.

"Stop fucking around," The blonde sneered. "Are you even taking this seriously?"

 _("Why do you want to be a hero?")_

Chiyo blinked at that, and wiped the blood that was starting to drip from her nose.

 _(This… this was her shot-)_

"I am," Chiyo replied, as she stood back up. Her lips twitched upwards, as she stretched her arms.

"Don't worry about me, Baku," Chiyo informed, as she rushed forward once more. An easy smile decorated her face. "Worry about yourself!"

The blonde blinked at that, as he put his guard up. His palms getting ready to ignite-

Chiyo squatted down, and proceeded to put her arms in an X position as she rammed into his midsection. Smoke filled her senses, as her opponent blasted himself into the air.

The gaze Bakugou gave her was apoplectic.

"Who the hell's worried about you?" He sneered, as Chiyo met him in the air. "I just want an undisputed victory-"

"You're kinda cute when your angry," Chiyo said cheekily, as she dodged the blonde's blows. "You're like a grumpy cat-"

Heat exploded in her face, as she was sent down to the ground.

In a state of panic, she found she couldn't control her wings.

Her vision blurred, as she met the pavement with a loud _crack_.

 _(Pain, pain, pain- **This is nothing**_ _-)_

She coughed harshly, as she got up once more. Bakugou scowled, red scratch marks littering his face as he came back down to the ground.

"You're like a fucking cockroach," He hissed, as he winded his left arm up.

"What can I say?" Chiyo replied, as she rushed towards him. Every muscle in her body screamed for her to stay down, as she bared her claws once more. "I've been told that I can be a pain in the ass!"

Her vision blurred, as she attempted to determine his whereabouts.

 _("Chiyo-chan," Akito had told her one day, cerulean eyes gleaming. "As your body grows, and becomes more accustomed to your quirk. Your eyes will grow to be even more sensitive. Protect them at all costs-")_

 _She couldn't see._

Chiyo froze at the revelation, as Bakugou sent another blast her way.

 _(What was going on? This couldn't be happening right now-)_

She flailed as she tried to defend herself from Baku's onslaught.

 _(No… not now-)_

With an undignified yelp, Chiyo was blown back once more. She patted the ground, in hope of her sunglasses not being far of reach. She could hear Midnight stopping Baku in his tracks.

"Koumori-kun," The woman said softly, as she crouched next to Chiyo. "Can you continue?"

Chiyo didn't respond at first, before letting out a nervous laugh at that.

"I… I kinda can't see," Chiyo admitted sheepishly as she patted the ground for her sunglasses once more. "It's not _too_ serious… but it _might_ hinder me a bit,"

She could feel the stadium quiet down.

" _Hey!"_ Present Mic called from his place above. " _What's going on!"_

With a sigh, she could hear Midnight standing up.

"Koumori-kun is unable to continue!" Midnight informed. "Bakugou wins!"

Chiyo stood up shakily, as she heard the cries of the audience. The cheers were slightly scattered she noticed.

" _Aww man,"_ Present Mic sulked, before yelping in pain. " _Why'd you hit me!?"_

Chiyo felt herself wobble slightly, as she made her way back to her feet. She strained her ears, in hopes of locating the fiery blonde. She sent where she _thought_ Bakugou was, a shaky smile.

"Good job Blondie," She stated, as she gave him a thumbs up. "You really got me,"

She then, promptly, passed out.

* * *

" _I've told you, and told you-"_

"Akito-nii," Chiyo grumbled, holding the cellphone a nice distance away from her ear. "I really don't need to hear your lecture right now,"

The man just sighed, and Chiyo could picture him massaging his temple.

" _Why didn't you tie your sunglasses behind your head?"_ Akito questioned. " _You should've known they could fall off-"_

"I don't know," Chiyo replied softly. "I just… that whole fight was sloppy. I didn't strategize at all, and I just rushed in headfirst. I failed-"

" _Woah,"_ Akito said from the other side of the line. " _I don't know what your definition of failure is, but that wasn't it,"_

"I flailed like a five year old. What pro is gonna want that? I got so caught up in wanting to show my abilities that I didn't prioritize winning the actual fight," Chiyo hissed. The bandages surrounding her eyes started to soak, as a warm mixture made its way down her cheeks. "I was so pathetic-"

" _You were anything but,"_ Akito reprimanded. " _That blonde kid was a monster. UA should really have him checked out for anger issues,"_

Chiyo let out a slight laugh at that, as she rubbed her cheeks.

"He's talented," Chiyo stated, as she blew out her nose. "I'm… I'm glad he didn't go easy on me. That would've hurt a lot more than this,"

" _You and your pride,"_ Akito mumbled. " _If he had gone easy on you, you wouldn't have gone nearly blind,"_

"I'd rather go blind than have an empty victory-"

"Koumori-san?"

Chiyo startled at the sound, and dropped her cell phone. She looked around hurriedly.

"Deku? Is that you?" Chiyo questioned, as she attempted to get up. Everything felt sideways-

A strong hand held her up by her bicep, stopping her from face planting.

"I… the awards ceremony is starting soon," Midoriya whispered. "All participants have to attend,"

Chiyo nodded her head numbly, as she lowered her head. She let out a harsh laugh.

"That's just wonderful" Chiyo drawled. "Lemme guess, either Baku or Todoroki won with their _incredibly flashy_ quirks-"

"Koumori-san," Midoriya interrupted, causing Chiyo to freeze momentarily. "Are you… are you alright?"

Chiyo's mouth dried slightly, as the bandages surrounding her eyes soaked even more. Her eyes burned, but she found she didn't care.

"I… I was supposed to prove myself," Chiyo whispered, her grip on Midoriya's shoulder tightening. "Yet… I lost in such a stupid way,"

 _(Why now-)_

She could imagine Midoriya shaking his head hurriedly.

"That's not true! Koumori-san, Kacchan isn't an easy opponent to go against-"

"I know, I know," Chiyo replied bitterly, digging her nails into her palms. "It still sucks,"

 _(She had wanted to win that match, and yet-)_

"You were really cool Deku," Chiyo stated, changing the subject. "You could've won against him if things had gone a bit differently," The boy just let out a nervous laugh.

"Thanks, but Todoroki blasted me out of the water-"

"That's not what I saw," Chiyo argued. "Just because your arms are a little mussed up means nothing. The bast- _Todoroki_ had to keep his guard up the whole time. _I_ couldn't have done that,"

"Ah, Koumori-san you did really well!" The green haired boy insisted. "During your fight with Kacchan, you definitely put him on the defensive!" Chiyo just rubbed the back of her head.

 _(If only-)_

"You're a good guy Deku," Chiyo informed seriously, ignoring her companion's sputters. "I'll fight anyone that says otherwise,"

"Y-you don't have to do that, Koumori-san,"

"What did I say about the _san_?"

* * *

Chiyo placed her head down, as Aizawa droned on.

 _(I'm so tired. Can I just-)_

"Am I boring you Koumori?" Aizawa questioned, his voice taking on a darker tone. Chiyo shook her head, as she picked at the bandages covering her eyes.

"Of course not, Sensei," Chiyo said solemnly. "I understand that what you're telling us is a very important part in our development as heroes. And that while your lectures are long, they contain a lot of useful information,"

To finish it off, Chiyo bowed her head.

"Thank you for your continued guidance," She implored. The drop of a pin could be heard from the ensued silence.

She could feel Aizawa staring at her, but just gave the man a smile.

"Class dismissed," the man said, barely holding back a sigh. Chiyo got up abruptly, her wing knocking into the chair. In an effort to keep it from falling over, Chiyo raised her arms in a desperate search for her seat.

A firm hand stopped her from falling over.

"Koumori, you shouldn't move around as much," A deep voice stated, as he steadied her. Chiyo grinned sheepishly.

"Thanks Tokoyami. Good job on getting third place," Chiyo replied, as she stood upright. "Would you mind getting my books? I can't really see where they are,"

With a sigh, her seatmate obliged easily enough.

"You're hopeless," Sero stated, picking up her bag for her. "I still can't believe Bakugou was that hard on you," Chiyo just made a fist.

"I'd rather he was hard on me-"

"I'm over here," Sero said dryly, causing Chiyo to spin around. Kaminari and Kirishima both laughed at the sight.

"I'd rather he was hard on me. It shows that I have a lot of room for improvement," She said firmly, pointing her finger towards Sero. "If we ever go up against each other, you better try and kick my ass,"

"But still," Kaminari interrupted, a prideful tint in his voice. " _I_ couldn't help but hold back-"

"Mori had you on lock, Kaminari," Jirou interrupted, causing Chiyo to snort. She could imagine Kaminari whipping his head to the side.

"Y'know what Jirou-"

"You're way too prideful," Sero finished, handing her, her bag. Chiyo just grinned.

"That can be a good thing," Chiyo replied. Sero let out a laugh at that.

"Noted," The taller boy stated. The scent of strawberries filled Chiyo's nostrils, as Mina saddled up next to her.

"Now that your all bandaged up, we can't go see that cute waiter," Mina grumbled. "He's already scared of you," Chiyo scowled at the reminder.

"Any waiter worth their salt should be able to answer a few easy questions-"

Mina nudged her shoulder, as they walked out of the classroom. Chiyo clinging to Mina's elbow.

"What is it-"

"You look like a mummy," A familiar voice stated, causing Chiyo to stop in her tracks. She scowled slightly.

"No 'How are you Chiyo', or 'Are your eyes alright Chiyo'," The girl stated dryly. "You never change,"

She could feel Shinsou rolling his eyes, as he turned to Mina.

"Do you mind if I-"

"Yes," Mina said hurriedly, passing Chiyo off to the boy. Chiyo's jaw dropped.

"You're that eager to get rid of me-"

Mina pulled her in close for a minute.

"This is your chance! It's the perfect friends to lovers situation-"

"It's not like that-"

"Have fun you guys!" Mina interrupted, before her voice took on a more teasing tone. "Take care of her Shin-chan~"

Chiyo groaned, as the pinkette practically skipped away. She could feel Shinsou snort fondly.

"What was she talking about-"

"Nothing," Chiyo said hurriedly, before sighing. "Let's… let's just go,"

Her companion took her bags off her shoulder, as she grabbed onto his bicep.

 _(This is… this nice-)_

"What are you smiling about?"

"Am I not allowed to smile Shin-chan?"

* * *

"You really are an idiot,"

"Shin-chan, not now," Chiyo grumbled, as she held onto his bicep. "Can we wait until I can actually see you before you start nagging,"

The two sat side by side, as Chiyo attempted to drink her smoothie. The straw kept hitting her cheek, however.

"Where the hell are we anyway?". Chiyo questioned, as she finally succeeded in getting the straw into her mouth. "Are we in an abandoned forest? Have you finally decided to go through with your diabolical plan-"

"What the hell are you talking about?". The boy questioned incredulously, drinking from his own smoothie. Chiyo just shrugged.

"I really don't know. I think the meds are finally getting to me," Chiyo admitted. "But maybe it's better like this,"

Shinsou sighed, and Chiyo could imagine him rolling his eyes.

"We're at the playground," Chiyo furrowed her brow at the answer.

"Like that's helpful _at all-_ "

"The playground where we first met," Shinsou replied. "I thought it was fitting,"

Chiyo just nodded her head at that, as she drank from her smoothie.

( _In a way, it is fitting-)_

"Y'know," Chiyo started off cheerfully. "I used to be afraid of playgrounds. The day that I met you, I was actually really terrified,"

 _(You promised you would face it head on. You owe it to them-)_

"What were you afraid of?" Shinsou questioned lightly. "Falling off the swing set?" Chiyo snorted at that, as her feet swung in the air.

"I wish it was that simple," Chiyo replied, bowing her head. "I was afraid of being kidnapped,"

She could feel Shinsou turning to look at her.

"Why would you be afraid of that?" Shinsou replied slowly, as she let out a harsh laugh.

Chiyo lifted her wrist, and pulled down the red bracelet she had chosen to wear. She traced her finger tips over it, to feel that the jagged scar where her tracking device had used to be, still decorated it.

"Ten years ago," Chiyo started off. "A girl and her mother had come to a playground, very much like this one,"

She could hear the birds chirping.

"It wasn't uncommon for them to come to the playground. The girl often liked to pester her mother about it," Chiyo said softly. "It was very close to the one bedroom apartment they shared,"

( _She couldn't remember much from her time before the lab, but she did remember this-)_

"The mother and daughter didn't have a lot of money, but they were happy. They had each other," A soft smile consumed her features at that, as she slurped on her smoothie some more.

"The mother was very beautiful," Chiyo recalled as she picked at the bandages around her eyes. "She had many admirers due to that fact,"

"Chiyo," Shinsou interrupted, his voice slightly strangled. "You don't have to-"

"Some of the mother's admirers were more pushy than others," Chiyo said loudly, drowning out her companion's protests. "One such admirer would change the mother and daughters life for good,"

Shinsou remained quiet, as Chiyo continued.

"His name was… Adachi,"

 _(His name felt like poison on her lips-)_

"He was a handsome man. Smart, athletic, the daughter had looked up to him,"

( _That's right. There was a time when she had genuinely cared for Adachi-)_

"The mother was much more cautious, however," Chiyo informed. "The mother could tell that something wasn't quite right with the man, and kept him at arm's length,"

Chiyo covered her mouth as a wave of nausea hit her. Shinsou patted her back.

"Adachi came for the daughter first. He took her to a secluded part of the playground and told her to keep her mouth shut," Chiyo hissed, as she was hunched over. "The mother came searching not too long after,"

She clenched her fists.

"Adachi knocked the mother out, and held a knife to her throat. Told the daughter to be quiet, or he'd slice the mother's throat as if she were a piece of meat,"

Her stomach was revolting within itself.

"The mother and daughter were taken to an underground lab, where they would reside for the next couple years,". Chiyo explained softly. "The mother was tortured, and kept in a constant state of isolation. While the daughter was experimented on daily,"

She could hear Shinsou's breath catch.

"Incisions would be made on the daughter's body day in and day out by multiple doctors," Chiyo breathed in as she threw her cup onto the ground. "Once a month, Adachi would put the daughter, and a selection of other children through 'testing days',"

"Testing days?" Shinsou questioned softly. "What kind of … _tests_ did the daughter have to go through?"

Chiyo took a deep breath, as she placed her head in her hands. The bandages surrounding Chiyo's eyes started to soak.

"One thing you should know about Adachi is that he craved perfection. In himself, and in others," Chiyo informed. "In his own twisted way… he said he was helping us,"

 _(There were times when a more treacherous part of Chiyo's mind agreed with him. She never got sick, had a high pain tolerance, and was a lot stronger than her physique suggested-)_

"Chiyo,". Shinsou started off slowly "What did he do to you-to the daughter," Shinsou quickly amended.

Chiyo clenched her fists.

"He would electrocute her. Drown her," Chiyo coughed, as she wiped her face. "He would… there were times when he would throw her into a burning fire to build up her pain tolerance, then he would have the resident healer fix her back up,"

Shinsou placed a hand on her shoulder, and Chiyo squeezed it.

"He wouldn't always have the healer fix the test subjects up, however. There were times when he would just let them wilt away," Chiyo said sadly. "The daughter saw a lot of death during her time at the lab,"

 _(That's right, it hadn't just been Hanami. So many other bodies had been_ _**covered in red-**_ _)_

"It was a painful existence for the girl, but she learned to endure it,". Chiyo fiddled with her piercings. "She promised herself, that no matter how awful things got,she wouldn't cry in front of the man. She wouldn't let him win,"

The lump in her throat was growing bigger by the minute.

"Eventually, in order to combat the pain, the girl stopped feeling. She tried to shut her emotions down,". Chiyo whispered solemnly.

 _(A flash of pink hair, huge grey eyes-"You're amazing Chiyo-chan")_

"But… two other individuals of the lab wouldn't let the girl do that. Two other people, who were being put through the same pain as the daughter, still managed to stay optimistic,"

 _(She'd never forget them-)_

"Their names were Hanami and Toga,". Chiyo whispered. "They were the daughter's first ever friends,"

 _(She… she had loved them. Thinking about them still made her heart hurt)_

"Hanami and Toga… they brought color into the girl's bleak existence. They made the girl feel something. Emotions that had been foreign to the girl for so long,"

 _(Hanami… Hanami had been her hero-)_

"The daughter had given up on leaving the lab. So had Toga. Hanami… Hanami never did, however,"

 _(She remembered how easily her eyes would light up)_

"Hanami was stuck in a fantasy, the girl thought. How could a bunch of kids ever hope to escape from a madman?" Chiyo said bitterly. "These thoughts would constantly plague the girl's mind. Resigning her to her fate,"

The cars honked as they passed by on the street. Children laughed, and played around them. Completely oblivious to the serious conversation occurring not far from where they were.

"One thing you should know about Hanami, is that she loved heroes more than anything. Heroes were her saving grace. It was something that the daughter failed to understand,"

 _(The heroes hadn't come to save them-)_

"What happened to Hanami and Toga?"

Chiyo froze at the interjection, before laughing.

"It wasn't obvious? Hanami and Toga _died_ Shin-chan," Chiyo said harshly. "They just…"

Chiyo tore the bandages protecting her eyes off, as they became more soaked. She kept her eyes firmly closed, as she buried her face into her hands.

"Hanami had loved heroes more than anything, the girl thought," Chiyo whispered "And yet… they hadn't come to save her. So many children had died and yet-"

Chiyo took a deep breath, and plastered a smile on to her face. Her eyes still firmly shut.

"The mother and daughter eventually made it out of the lab. But it was at the cost of the mother's mental health, and the lives of Hanami and Toga," Chiyo finished off. "The daughter… she grew to despise heroes,"

She laid her head onto Shinsou's shoulder.

"But… everyone around the daughter loved heroes. Even her closest friend. It was something she couldn't understand,"

Chiyo felt herself grow weaker and weaker.

"Eventually… the daughter had to decide for herself. She had to understand why heroes were so celebrated. Why Hanami had loved them so much,"

Chiyo felt her voice break.

"What… what does it _mean_ to be a hero?"

Shinsou remained silent, as Chiyo continued on.

"The daughter… to this day, she's still trying to figure out what it means to be a hero." Chiyo revealed, "But… she doesn't hate heroes as much anymore. If at all. She's grown to understand them,"

"Is the daughter happy?" Shinsou questioned, causing Chiyo to do a double take. Chiyo smiled at the question.

"She's… she has her moments of weakness. But she's very happy. She's been blessed with good friends," Chiyo revealed. "She's…she's doing her best,"

She could hear Shinsou hum slightly, as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"That's good," he replied.

"Shin-chan," Chiyo started off. "The day I met you... I had actually been trying to make friends,"

She could feel the boy shift beside her.

"I... I talked to my therapist about it actually, and she said that if I went to a playground I'd be destined to find kids my age,"

She felt herself growing weaker and weaker.

"I had given up on finding friends... then I met you,"

 _(Everything was so quiet-)_

"Thank you Shin-chan, you made things easier,"

* * *

"So you've finally gotten over your lover's spat-"

"It's not like that," Chiyo replied heatedly. "Shin-chan's… he's not… I don't like him in that way,"

Hiroto and her were currently sitting on the back porch. She could hear cicadas chirping in the background, as she gripped onto the handles of the chair she was sitting in. She desperately tried to ignore the bandages surrounding her eyes.

"Whatever you say," Hiroto replied. "But.. you look happier,"

Chiyo grinned at that, as she nodded her head.

"I… I told him," Chiyo revealed. "About the lab, about Hanami and Toga. Hiroto… I think I can finally let them go,"

She could imagine Hiroto smiling down at her, as he went to ruffle her hair.

"That's good," he said softly.

They sat in silence for a few moments, before Hiroto cleared his throat.

"Sayaka-kun wants to speak with you," The man informed. "Well… she actually wants you to speak with someone,"

Chiyo's ears perked up at that.

"His name's Mizuki. He's a foster kid just like you, that lost his family very young. Sayaka says he's a bit of a smart ass,"

Chiyo sighed, as she folded her arms.

"What about him?" Chiyo questioned.

"He… apparently, he has no real goals," Hiroto informed. "Sayaka hopes that you can help motivate him,"

Chiyo just hummed, as the cool air brushed against her cheeks. She let out a slight laugh.

"I might end up kicking his ass," Chiyo informed, causing Hiroto to snort.

"If that's what needs to be done," Hiroto replied. Chiyo furrowed her brow.

"Why me?' Chiyo questioned. She could feel Hiroto turning towards her.

"Chiyo… you're a success story," Hiroto informed. "A lot of kids that go into foster care don't end up well. But you… you've done so well for yourself despite the circumstances,"

Chiyo felt her cheeks warm at the praise, as she turned to the side.

"You don't have to butter me up… I'll do it," Chiyo replied, albeit reluctantly. "But… it'll have to be in a few weeks. I'm gonna be pretty busy at school,"

She imagined Hiroto nodding his head, as he placed a hand atop of her head.

"Take all the time you need,"

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 19! We've finally finished the Sport's Festival, and I'm eternally grateful for that. Next chapter will deal with hero names, and finding out who Chiyo is going to intern with. I want to take some time to thank all the people that followed, favorited and reviewed. We've gotten to _100_ reviews! I greatly appreciate the support. ShiYo(Shinsou x Chiyo) had a lot of moments this chapter, so if you ship them this was your treat.

Things you Guys said:

 **I'm a bit confused with the match ups, didn't Bakugou fight Kirishima and Shiozaki (in this case Chiyo) fought Iida?(I already pm-ed you, but just in case anyone else is confused)** I switched the placement of the match ups so that the fights would be a bit different. In this case, Iida went up against Tsuyu.

 **I worry that her fights will end really fast with her using sonic blast.** It isn't easy for Chiyo to use Sonic blast all the time. It requires a great deal of concentration. That's why she didn't use it against Bakugou.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What do you think Chiyo's hero name will be?(It's based off a cartoon character)

What are some questions you have for me?

 _P.S. I love reading your reviews, so don't forget to leave on!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _It had been a chilly day._

 _The cars honked on the busy street, as the brisk autumn air tickled his nose. He watched vacantly, as the multicolored leaves covered the ground._

" _Why so serious Hiro?"_

 _The boy scoffed, as he turned his head away from the source of the voice. He zipped up his worn jacket, and pulled his knees close to his chest._

" _Mind your fuckin business Nana," The boy spat, as his companion merely raised an eyebrow. Obsidian eyes narrowed slightly, as the girl took the seat next to him without a word. Her raven hair flowing behind her._

 _(He had always thought her hair was beautiful)_

" _I… I heard about your mom," The girl whispered, as she tapped her right foot. It was something she would always do whenever she felt uncomfortable, Hiroto noticed. He remained silent, as the girl sent him uncertain glances._

" _Nobody thinks-"_

" _I don't give a_ _ **damn**_ _about what anybody thinks, including you," The boy hissed, as he spun around to face her. He stuck his chin out challengingly, daring the girl to say anything more. Nana just met his gaze head on._

" _Then why are you here?" The girl countered, her eyes narrowing. "Why don't you go home? You're leaving your sisters to fend for themselves-"_

" _That_ _**house**_ _, isn't my_ _ **home**_ _," The boy replied, as he stuck his hands into his pockets. A storm brewed in his cerulean eyes. "I don't got a home-"_

" _Your sisters love you-"_

" _Whatever," he said flippantly, sticking a pinky into his ears. "What the hell would those brats know about_ _ **love**_ _-"_

 _He doesn't see it coming. All he had felt were her fists digging into his cheekbone before he had a chance to react. It left him slightly speechless._

 _(A lot of things she had done had left him speechless)_

 _Her eyes glimmered even more than usual, Hiroto noted, as he massaged his cheek._

" _What is_ _ **wrong**_ _with you?" Nana questioned, as she massaged her knuckles. Her gaze is cold, however. "How can you just stand there and say-"_

" _Save the lecture," He hissed, as he got up from his place on the ground. "You don't know a damn thing about me. Go back to playing hero, and save someone that actually_ _ **needs**_ _saving,"_

 _The wind soothed his bruised cheek, as he walked away from the girl._

* * *

( _Maybe that had been the start of it all. Maybe that had been when-)_

* * *

Chiyo awoke with the sun that morning.

It's not necessarily a _strange_ occurrence, but it has Chiyo doing a double take when she viewed the time on her alarm clock.

Her eyes still burned slightly, but with a skip in her step, Chiyo could see that her sight had returned.

As she went to brush her teeth, a quick glance in the mirror alerted her that her hair had grown to her shoulders. She fiddled with the ends of it, her face scrunched up in contemplation, before eventually going to leave it alone.

( _Maybe… maybe I'll grow it out again)_

She had cut her hair as an act of defiance at first. She had wanted to defy her past, forget what had happened to her.

But now… Chiyo was willing to face it head on.

Humming a small tune, Chiyo made her way down to the kitchen. A mess of red hair greeted her the moment her foot touched the bottom step, however.

She swung Hinata around, as she skipped over the last step. The boys grinned at her, as they made their way into the kitchen.

"That blonde kid kicked your ass, Chi," Hinata said bluntly, causing Asami to snort into her coffee. Chiyo rolled her eyes at the woman, before eventually nodding her head.

"Sorry Nata, I know how much you wanted me to win," Chiyo replied, as she ruffled his hair. "Baku was just crazy strong," Hinata just shook his head.

"It's alright! Birdy's out in the yard. For _training_ ," His blue eyes sparkled at the thought of it. "Can I watch Chi-"

Chiyo put Hinata down abruptly, smiling at the slight pout that overtook his face, and surged towards the back door. Surely enough, red feathers greeted her as she made her way onto the back porch.

"Bird-brain,"

"Brat," The man countered easily, sending a lazy grin her way. He looks her up and down, before snorting. "I have to say… you look like absolute _shit_ in the morning-"

"You said you were here for training," Chiyo interrupted, flattening her bedhead subconsciously. Her eyes light up, as she bounces on one foot. "I'll be ready in-"

Hawks holds up a hand, stopping Chiyo in her tracks. His amber eyes crinkled, as he gives her a petulant smile.

"No training today," He replied, causing Chiyo's brow to furrow. He lets out a huge sigh. " _Man_ , you're no fun. Most kids would actually be _happy_ to hear that,"

"If… if we're not training. Then what are we doing?" Chiyo questioned, as Hawks moves forward to ruffle her hair, messing it up even more.

"Let's just… go for a fly," The man replied, his eyes taking on a sharper turn. He smiles down at her, as her eyes widen slightly. "It's been a while since we've just done that, yeah?"

Chiyo narrowed her eyes slightly, looking Hawks up and down. The man raised his eyebrows, as he flopped back down to the ground.

"What's the matter-"

"Did you get laid or something?" Chiyo questioned bluntly, as her lips quirked up into a slight smirk. She took the seat next to him, and nudged him with her wing. "Some poor girl finally decide to-"

Red blurred her newly healed vision, as her companion's feathers proceeded to throw Chiyo across the room.

With a groan, Chiyo rubbed the back of her head. She bared her fangs, and turned to give the man an annoyed look.

The smile that graced her companion's face, made slight chills go down her spine, however.

"On second thought, maybe you're right," The man countered, pounding his fist into his palm. "We _should_ have some training today! That fight against the blonde kid was pitiful-"

"He was strong-"

"Even so," The man countered, sticking a pinky into his ear. "If you're being trained by _me_ , then you can't afford to lose face,"

Chiyo glared at the man for a moment, before sighing. She picked up the chair she had knocked over, and stretched out her right arm.

"Throw anything at me, and I'll take it," The girl replied, her wings unraveling. Hawks nodded his head in appreciation.

"I'll hold you to that,"

* * *

"Takahiro," The girl mumbled, as she chewed on a chicken leg. "I thought we were supposed to be _training_ ," The aforementioned man just snorted.

"We _are_ training. _House training._ You should see the way you eat food, you _slob-_ "

"You're the one chewing with their mouth open," Chiyo countered, pointing a bone threateningly in his direction. "Sides, you don't need to have proper house training to be a hero. I highly doubt that the person I'm saving is going to care about about my _table manners_ ,"

The man snorted at that, as he continued to devour his chicken. Chiyo wrinkled her nose at the sight.

"And you call _me_ a slob-"

"I get this from you," Hawks replied, sighing forlornly. Chiyo couldn't help but take note of the chicken pieces littering the corners of his mouth. "Don't know how uncle deals with you-"

"Compared to Hiroto, _everyone_ is a slob," Chiyo replied, throwing her chicken bone off to the side. She takes in the view surrounding them.

They currently sat atop an abandoned building. The birds passed by them, without a care in the world, as the sun rose in front of them. Chiyo fluttered her own wings in response.

Hawks had said to 'follow him', and Chiyo obliged immediately.

Even when she had despised him, despised heroes in general, Chiyo always found herself looking to Hawks. For… _guidance_ in a way.

"Despite what I said earlier," Hawks said, breaking the silence. An easy grin curled over his lips. "You did good, kid. Your sonic scream is getting better-"

"It still needs work," Chiyo grumbled, her wings wilting slightly. "I completely-"

"You just _loovve_ to put yourself down, don't ya?" The blonde questioned, nudging her wing with his own. "If I say you did good, _you did good_. I don't lie, kid,"

Chiyo blushed at the praise, as she turned her head to the side.

"I… thank you," Chiyo mumbled, her wings flaring behind her. "I… it means a lot,"

Hawks stared at her for a few moments, before a playful grin came over his face.

"Oh, is Chiyo-chan embarrassed?" The man questioned. "How _cute_ ,"

"Oh, shut up,"

"Language," The man reprimanded. Chiyo flipped him off in response.

The two sat in silence for a few moments, before Chiyo cleared her throat.

"Taka- _Hawks_ ," Chiyo corrected. "Why did you call me out here?" The man hummed in contemplation.

"Contrary to popular belief, Chiyo-chan, I'm not a complete glutton. I couldn't have possibly finished all that chicken by myself-"

" _Hawks_ ," Chiyo interrupted, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You want to tell me something don't you? You're doing that thing,"

" _What_ thing?"

"That thing with your feathers- _you know what I'm talking about_ ," Chiyo replied, scowling at the petulant grin that overtook the man's face. "What is it?"

Hawks sat silently for a few moments, before sighing, and running a hand through his hair.

"It's about your internship," _Oh._

Chiyo brightened considerably at that, as the corners of her mouth quirked upwards.

"What about it? Any horror stories I need to know about your agency-"

"You're not coming to my agency, kid," The man replied bluntly, finishing the chicken leg. Chiyo blinked at the notion, as she mulled over the words that had left the man's mouth. Her mouth opened and closed, as she thought of the proper thing to say.

 _(Did I hear that correctly?)_

"Umm… could you repeat that?" Chiyo questioned, as she fiddled with her piercings. "I don't think I heard you-"

"You're not coming to my agency," Hawks repeated, his feathers ruffling behind him. Chiyo stared at the man blankly.

"Why not-"

"Look kid," Hawks replied smoothly, shutting Chiyo up. "The whole point of these things is to gain experience. You won't get anything new from working with me,"

"You're the _number three hero_. If that's not experience then-"

"Experience working with _other people_ ," Hawks reiterated. "You can come to me at any time. You need to learn what you can from other pros,"

Chiyo pursed her lips at that, and looked off to the side. She could hear Hawks sigh once more.

"Don't be like that-"

"I'm not mad," Chiyo replied immediately, as she fiddled with her piercings. "I understand where you're coming from, I just… it's gonna be weird training under someone else. That's all,"

Hawks stared at her for a few moments, before letting out a booming laugh.

"Aww, you _do_ love me-"

Chiyo whacked him with her wing, and took cover when he sent multiple feathers her way.

"Are you going senile?" Chiyo questioned, as she ducked multiple red projectiles. "I just feel bad for whoever else is going to deal with ya,"

"Hahaha," The man responded dryly. "Right back at ya. Hopefully the pro you intern with doesn't mind dealing with your brattish tendencies-"

"I'm not a brat,"

"You sure about that?"

Chiyo narrowed her eyes, and threw one of her finished chicken bones at the man's face. Hawks just gave her a disgusted look, as he ducked immediately.

"Proving my point-"

"I get this from you," Chiyo mimicked, as she dusted herself off. "You're a terrible influence,"

Hawks just grinned, and moved forward to mess her hair up even more.

"Don't I know it,"

* * *

 _("Hey," Chiyo had asked him one night, as they had stared up at the night sky. Her freckles seemed to glow, as they always did in the nightlight. "Would you ever want to be number one?"_

 _Hawks had just given her a petulant grin._

" _I'm number one in your heart-"_

" _That's not what I meant-_ _ **No you're not**_ _," Chiyo replied heatedly, rolling her eyes at the man. She was quiet for a moment before looking towards him once more._

" _The number one hero, I mean," Chiyo replied firmly. Hawks had just snorted, and shook his head._

" _Why the hell would I want that?" The man replied, his feathers ruffling. Chiyo had just shrugged her shoulders._

" _Isn't that what every hero aims for?"_

" _Maybe so," Hawks had replied, his blonde hair being swept back by the wind. "But with All Might in the picture-"_

" _All Might isn't omnipotent," Chiyo argued. "He won't be number one forever,"_

" _Then Endeavor-"_

" _We don't need another muscle head at the top. We need someone with brains," Chiyo argued, causing Hawks to let out a booming laugh._

" _And you think I'm that person?"_

" _I… compared to Endeavor and All Might-"_

 _Chiyo became quiet, as she spotted a hint of… something flicker through her companion's eyes. His lips seemed to press into a thin line, as he shook his head once more._

" _Sorry, Chiyo-chan," The man replied, smoothly. "My back just isn't broad enough to put the people at ease," Chiyo scowled at the comment, before turning her head to the side._

" _Whatever," Chiyo replied,sticking her nose up slightly. "You are kinda puny anyways. The number one hero should have some muscle on them,"_

" _Really?"_

" _Really-"_

 _Before Chiyo could even finish the sentence, Hawks caught the younger girl in a headlock._

" _What was that about muscle, Chiyo-chan?" The man questioned teasingly. Chiyo struggled to break free._

" _Asshole," Chiyo rasped out. The man smiled fondly at her, as he looked at the sky once more._

" _Brat,")_

* * *

Nadeshiko watched on, as Chiyo placed a bouquet of flowers near her bedside.

"You used to love white lilies," Chiyo prattled happily, fiddling with her piercings. "And… I wanted to get you something,"

Nadeshiko just nodded in response, and reached for Chiyo's hand. The girl took it happily.

"You won't believe everything's that happened, Mama," Chiyo exclaimed, as she mulled over the events of the past few days. "I… you probably didn't watch the Sports Festival. But, I did my best. I didn't win, and I _definitely_ didn't do as well as I wanted. But… I tried. I think you'd be proud of that,"

Nadeshiko squeezed her hand in response, before turning to look out the window, vacantly. Chiyo sighed at that, but squeezed her mother's hand as well.

"Mama… are you proud of me?" Chiyo questioned softly, after moments of silence. She looked out the window, as a rather pesky bee flew against the glass. "I… I know I have my moments. But I'm trying-"

" _Chiyo,"_

Chiyo froze at the sound, as she raised her head. Nadeshiko was looking straight at her, as the woman seemed to test the name out on her lips.

"Chiyo," The woman said once more, causing the girl's eyes to water. Her voice sounded like pure _music_.

"Mama," Chiyo replied, her voice breaking. She felt a lump start to form in her throat, as she rubbed at her eyes. She pushed her sunglasses back onto her face.

 _(When was the last time she had heard her mother's voice? It had been years-)_

"Say it again," Chiyo pleaded, as a warm mixture made its way down her cheeks. " _Please say it again,"_

Nadeshiko remained silent for a few more moments, as Chiyo hiccuped.

"Mama-"

"Chiyo," The woman whispered. A laugh bubbled in her throat, as Chiyo gathered her mother in a hug.

"I knew it," Chiyo whispered. "They said to give up, but I _knew_ it,"

She pulled out Nadeshiko's wheelchair, and gave the woman a smile.

"Let's get some from fresh air Mama," Chiyo stated, helping the woman into her chair. Nadeshiko nodded slowly.

"Chiyo," She stated, causing Chiyo to laugh once more.

 _(She knew her mother wasn't lost to her. She knew it was only a matter of time-)_

* * *

Chiyo pushed her mother's chair through the courtyard, taking in the different sights.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to take you outside as much," Chiyo said, as she picked a flower from one of the many bushes in the courtyard. She stopped, once she saw a butterfly taking refuge on it. She showed it to Nadeshiko, and frowned slightly once the butterfly flew away.

Her mother's lips seemed to quirk up at the sight, however.

 _(This world had so many beautiful things to offer-)_

"Chiyo-chan?"

Chiyo's head whipped up at the familiar sound, as she pasted an easy smile onto her face.

"Rei-san! How've you been-"

The tiny girl stopped dead in her tracks, at the sight of familiar mismatched eyes staring at her in shock.

 _(...Oh_ _ **no**_ _-)_

Rei smiled softly at the girl, and moved forward to greet her.

"I've been well. And you?" She questioned, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere. Chiyo stared at Todoroki for a moment, before forcing her gaze away. She forced out a nervous laugh.

"I've been good. Same old, same old, y'know?"

"That's good," The woman said happily. She turned towards Todoroki, and gently pulled him forward. "Shouto, this is Chiyo Koumori. She's about your age, so I hope you'll be able to get along,"

Todoroki just nodded his head, as Chiyo pasted a fake smile on her face.

"Why so distant Todoroki- _kun_?" Chiyo questioned cheerfully, playfully punching him in the arm. She turned towards Rei, taking note of the confused look on her face.

"Me and him are in the same class," Chiyo informed happily. "Small world isn't it?'

Rei stared at her for a few moments, before gasping.

"That's right! I almost forgot you went to UA," Rei responded. She smiled once more. "How are-"

"Chiyo," Nadeshiko called out once more, her voice slightly raspy. Rei blinked at the sound, as Chiyo grinned happily.

"She spoke to me today," Chiyo prattled, bouncing slightly. She ignored Todoroki, as she turned her mother's chair around. "I really think she's getting better,"

Rei's eyes softened at that, as she nodded her head.

"I'm sure she is," Rei responded softly. "You're… you're a good girl Chiyo-chan. Your mother's lucky to have you,"

Chiyo blushed at the praise, but shook her head in response.

 _(Adachi had terrorized her-Megumi treated her like trash-Nadeshiko had been the only adult to really love and comfort her in those days-)_

"Thanks… but I'm the lucky one," Chiyo responded. "Incredibly lucky,"

Rei nodded at that, as Chiyo bid her farewell. She gave Todoroki one last glance, before hurriedly pushing her mother's chair in the opposite direction.

 _(Todoroki… why did he have to be the one-Out of anyone else-)_

* * *

"I'm sorry,"

Chiyo scowled slightly at the sound, before turning her head to the side.

"Are you stalking me Todoroki? You're pretty and all, but not really my type," The girl stated nonchalantly, as she fiddled with her piercings. She took a sip of her drink, as Todoroki just blinked at her in confusion.

"I… you seemed uncomfortable before," The boy replied. "I assume you didn't want-"

"Todoroki," Chiyo interrupted, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You don't need to apologise. It's fine,"

"You seemed angry-"

"I'm always pissed when it comes to you for some reason," Chiyo admitted, causing Todoroki's eyes to widen slightly. "If anything, _I_ should be the one to apologise,"

Chiyo stood up, and turned towards the boy. She bowed her head, as the wind coursed through her hair.

"I'm sorry," Chiyo said softly. "I… I'm always quick to judge people. It's a huge failing of mine. I misjudged you,"

 _("Nobody's perfect Mori-chan-")_

"You can hit me if you want," Chiyo offered, as she peeked up at him. "I've… you haven't exactly been an _angel_ , but I've kinda been a judgmental bitch-"

"I'm not going to hit you," Todoroki stated firmly. "I just… you don't have to apologise for anything,"

Chiyo blinked at the boy, before taking a sigh of relief.

"You're not gonna ask why my Mom's in the hospital?" Chiyo asked, clenching her fists slightly. Todoroki just blinked at her, and shook his head.

"It's none of my business," He replied bluntly, before looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "You're not gonna ask me why _my_ mom is here?"

"None of my business," Chiyo mimicked, smiling slightly. She turned to look at Todoroki, pushing flyaway strands of hair from her face as she fiddled with her piercings.

 _(Make things right-)_

"Can we start over?' Chiyo questioned hopefully. She extended a hand towards the dual hair colored boy, and pasted a genuine smile on her face. "Chiyo Koumori, a pleasure to meet you,"

Todoroki stared down at her outstretched hand for a few moments, until Chiyo gave him a look.

"I'm not gonna kill you Todoroki. Maybe a few weeks ago, but not now-"

"Why did you dislike me so much?" The boy questioned, causing Chiyo's eyes to widen slightly. The girl felt her cheeks warm, as she looked off to the side.

"I… I was jealous, I guess. Nothing more, nothing less," Chiyo admitted, before running a hand through her hair in frustration. "It was stupid-"

Todoroki grabbed her outstretched hand, causing Chiyo to look towards him.

"Shouto Todoroki," He replied. "Nice to meet you,"

Chiyo looked at the boy in shock, before letting out a startled laugh.

"Todoroki," Chiyo whispered, testing the name out on her tongue. "To-do-ro-ki," The aforementioned boy stared at her with the utmost confusion.

"What-"

"To-chin," Chiyo settled on, giving the boy one last smile. "How about that?"

The boy still looked hopelessly confused, as Chiyo beckoned him to sit down beside her.

"We're friends now," Chiyo explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I always give nicknames to my friends,"

The boy looked surprised at that for a moment, before looking away from Chiyo.

The girl didn't miss how the corners of his lips, twitched up, however.

"I'd like that," The boy replied. Chiyo grinned at that, as she stared up at the afternoon sky. She could see the birds fly overhead, as her and Todoroki perched on a local neighborhood park bench. She nudged the boy with her wing, and pointed towards a mother bird taking care of her young. The boy looked slightly mystified, as Chiyo smiled softly at the sight.

 _(He's…. He's not as bad as I thought he was)_

* * *

Chiyo had always loved the rain.

She felt the rain droplets cover her wings, as she held a red umbrella above her head. She had placed her hair into a messy bun that morning, with a dark red headband taming the few flyaways that had refused to go down.

Rain. It symbolized rebirth, renewal. New beginnings. Washing away the old, so something better had a chance to flourish.

 _(April showers brings May flowers-)_

"Chiyo?"

The aforementioned girl bristled at the sound, before relaxing upon the sight of familiar red eyes.

"Shima," Chiyo replied, sidling up to the taller boy. The grin he gave her was blinding. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

The boy laughed at that, before shaking his head.

"If you say so," he replied looking up at the rain, rather balefully. "I've always hated the rain. It's so… dreary,"

"It's calming," Chiyo countered. "Calming, soothing, relaxing. It symbolizes new beginnings! Isn't that cool?" She prattled, turning to her redheaded companion excitedly. Shima laughed, and just shook his head.

"I've gotta say, I never took you to be such a nerd," Kirishima replied teasingly. He looked up at the sky with a toothy grin, however. "New beginnings, huh? I like the sound of that,"

Chiyo scowled, and attempted to punch his arm. The boy just grinned, however, and moved out of the way.

"Being informed doesn't make me a _nerd_ -"

"That's exactly what one would say," Kirishima brought forth. Chiyo felt her cheeks warm, as she looked off to the side.

"Whatever," Chiyo mumbled, before giving Kirishima a look out of the corner of her eye. "Rather be a nerd than a _muscle head_ ,"

The redhead placed a hand to his heart in mock hurt, as they made their way into the classroom.

"You wound me," The boy deadpanned, before breaking out in laughter. Chiyo just stuck her tongue out at him, as she took her sunglasses off.

As she unpacked her belongings, she couldn't help but notice that Iida wasn't there.

"Don't tell me," Chiyo said in slight surprise, as she took her seat. "I actually beat the class rep? Has hell frozen over?" Jirou gave her a look from across the room.

"You didn't hear?" She questioned, wrapping an earphone jack around her finger. Chiyo raised an eyebrow, but shook her head.

"Know about what?"

Jirou and Kirishima shared a look, before Jirou turned towards her once more.

"Mori, have you been living under a rock?" Jirou asked, causing Chiyo to bristle slightly. "You didn't hear about the Hero Killer?"

Chiyo wracked her brain, before eventually shaking her head once more.

"Never heard of him," Chiyo replied bluntly. "Hero Killer? Sounds like something out of a horror movie,"

Jirou gave Chiyo a deadpan look, causing Chiyo's lips to twitch downwards as she went to fiddle with her piercings.

"Instead of looking at me like I'm some dumb ass, just tell me who he is," Chiyo stated heatedly. "Hero Killer…. How many heroes has he _killed_ exactly?"

Jirou sighed, and took the currently empty seat next to Chiyo.

"Well… Iida's brothers was one of the victims,"

* * *

Thankfully, Iida's brother was still alive. Not dead, but in critical condition.

Her eyes seemed to wander towards her glasses wearing classmate for a moment, searching for any abnormalities.

He seemed… normal for the most part. He still had the energy to scold her for sleeping in class at least.

Chiyo stared at the boy for a few moments more, before turning towards the front of class. With her head firmly placed in her hand, Chiyo tuned into what Aizawa was saying.

"Code names," The scruffy looking man brought forth, catching Chiyo's attention immediately. "You'll be coming up with your hero names today,"

The class seemed to explode at that. Chiyo felt her eyes widen, as she took her head out of her hands.

"This has to do with the internships that were mentioned the other day," Aizawa said firmly, his eyes turning red as he silenced the class in an instant. "A decent amount of you have already caught the eyes of pros. Offers aren't usually extended until your second or third year, so you should feel proud,"

A remote was pointed towards the screen, and Chiyo felt her jaw drop once she saw the number of offers she had received.

 _463._

"How in the hell?" Chiyo questioned, before covering her mouth at Aizawa's reprimanding look. She took a closer look at the board, making sure her eyes weren't deceiving her.

 _(Why did anyone want her? She had been awful-)_

"You _were_ super manly at the festival," Kirishima brought forth in contemplation, before grinning slightly. "Good job!"

Chiyo stared at Kirishima for a few moments, before smiling slightly.

"I'm a girl, I can't be manly," Chiyo replied instead, flicking the boy's forehead.

"Why not-"

"Enough," Aizawa interrupted. The chatter in the class, went away as quickly as it came. Chiyo's eyes strayed to the board once more, and sighed once she saw that Bakugou and Todoroki had the most offers.

 _(Why am I not surprised-)_

"I'm not good when it comes to stuff like this," Aizawa stated, pulling out his sleeping bag. "So someone will be coming in to help you-"

The door swung open, causing Chiyo's eyes to widen as her head whipped around. Midnight sauntered into the room, and Chiyo felt her eyes twitch as a few select boys in her class practically drooled at the woman.

"Midnight will assist you," Aizawa said as he zipped himself up. "She'll make sure that your names are suitable,"

Whiteboards and markers were passed out, as Chiyo felt her arms start to tremble slightly.

 _(Hero names. This is what I'll be known as. This is what defines me as a hero-)_

Chiyo took deep breaths, as she uncapped her marker.

 _(What does it mean to be a hero? What kind of hero do I want to be?)_

Her hand shook as she wrote the name down.

 _(Hanami who had been covered in red. Toga who had been forced to suffer for so long-)_

She wanted to save people in an instant. Quicker than could be comprehended. She never wanted anyone to go through what she had gone through. What the Core 7 had gone through. What numerous other children had gone through.

She looked down at her board, and let out a deep breath.

 _(This… this has to be it-)_

* * *

"Koumori," Midnight called. "You can come up now,"

Chiyo took a deep breath, as she made her way to the front of the class. She smoothed her skirt, as all of her classmates eyes fell on her.

Mina- _Pinky was her hero name, Chiyo realized as her heart twinged_ -grinned at her, and gave her a thumbs up. Jirou wrapped an earphone jack around her finger, but smiled slightly at her. Yao just gave her a beatific smile.

Chiyo took a deep breath, as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"When I was young-" _A lifetime ago_ "I used to watch this TV show,"

 _(She had laid helpless in a hospital bed. Only to be reborn in a world where she had been helpless once more-)_

"It was about this… this hedgehog. A hedgehog that could run faster than the eye could see," Chiyo prattled, as her cheeks warmed. "He… I thought he was amazing. He was fast, charismatic, loved by a lot of people,"

Chiyo sighed, and placed her whiteboard onto the table.

"That's the kind of hero I want to be," Chiyo decided firmly. "The type of hero that can save people in an instant. The type of hero that can motivate people. The type of hero that-"

 _(She had lost all hope. He was willing to experiment on her, until there was nothing left of her to test-)_

Chiyo felt her eyes burn slightly, but ignored the sensation. She lowered her head for a few moments, before smiling slightly.

 _("You're so cool Chiyo-chan-")_

"Someone cool," Chiyo decided on. "The type of hero that can motivate people to do _anything_. Motivate people to never give up no matter what,"

She looked down at her board, and turned it towards the class.

 _The Bat Hero: Sonic_

Chiyo smiled as people read the board. She fiddled with her piercings.

"The type of hero that can remind people to know that _life is worth living_ ,"

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 20! I want to take time to thank all the people that have favorited, followed, and reviewed. I really appreciate it! Sadly, we won't know who Chiyo is going to intern with until next chapter. But we did get her hero name. A lot of you wanted the name to be Batman, Bat girl, or some variation of those names, but I thought Sonic was more fitting. Chiyo's past life doesn't usually come into play as much anymore, but Sonic used to be her favorite show. Paired with her Sonic scream, I thought the name was just right.

AN 2: On a separate note, if any of you guys are interested in being a 'beta' for this story, or know someone interested, please PM me. I use the term beta loosely, because I just need to bounce ideas off of someone once in a while. I already bounce ideas off of one person(for whom I'm eternally grateful for) but one more would be appreciated.

Things you guys said:

 **How much control will Chiyo have over the auditory part of her quirk? Will she be able to change pitch and frequency?** Chiyo is already able to do this to some extent. But yes, she will be able to eventually shatter glass, and shake buildings and rooms. She has the ability to do this, just not the proper technique.

 **I feel that Shinsou's reaction was too casual.** We have to take into account the fact that Chiyo couldn't actually see Shinsou when she was telling him this info. due to the bandages around her eyes. But Shinsou is definitely in shock. We'll see more of this in coming chapters.

 **Kid calls her high and mighty. She tells him everything's gone to shit and her mother's dead. She thanks him? No kid, that's not how you do things around here.** It is true that Shinsou was an asshole, but Chiyo didn't really care too much about that. Shinsou is one of her oldest friends, and they have a lot of history. She doesn't want to lose him.

 **I know Mirio is the plan, but I'm shipping Chiyo with Katsuki.** Mirio is not the plan at this point. I'm putting a poll up later in the story for who Chiyo should be paired with. Chiyo x Bakugou(I still need a ship name for them) will be considered.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What do you think of Chiyo's hero name?

What are some questions you have for me?

 _P.S. I love reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

" _Vampire," Toga had said from her position against the wall. "This is_ _ **boring.**_ _Teach me to do somethin' else,"_

" _What else do you wanna learn?" Chiyo questioned, scrunching her nose slightly. "You can barely do a handstand without using the wall for support. How do ya expect to do anything else?"_

 _Toga bristled at that, before falling face forward. Chiyo immediately went to steady her._

" _Be careful," Chiyo gritted out, her eyes shifting across the room. "Ya can't be getting hurt outside of testing. They won't-"_

" _I wouldn't have gotten hurt," Toga replied bitterly, her bangs covering her eyes._

" _So you call falling face forward like a dumb ass, not getting hurt," Chiyo countered, before scoffing and putting the girl down. "Who knows, maybe if your nose was broken you'd look better-"_

 _Toga aimed a sloppy punch towards Chiyo's face, which the tinier girl dodged easily enough. She felt her lips twitch upwards slightly._

" _Oh? The crybaby wants to go?" Chiyo said mockingly, putting her hands up into a guard position. "I'm not some weakling, like the other kids you go up against. If you really think you can match me, then bring it on,"_

 _Toga narrowed her eyes, as she began her assault. The other children watched on, as Chiyo weaved out of the way, and performed a back flip away from the girl._

" _C'mon crybaby," Chiyo drawled. "I'm disappointed-"_

 _Someone grabbed the back of Chiyo's head roughly, causing the girl to cry out in pain. She could see Hanami covering her mouth out of the corner of her eye, which automatically raised red flags for Chiyo._

(Didn't Pinky have testing today-)

" _Chiyo-chan," A familiar voice drawled, causing Chiyo's ears to perk up. "You know better than this. Fighting? How childish,"_

 _Chiyo found she couldn't speak. Her eyes met Toga's, and she could see that the blonde girl was frozen at first. Chiyo shook her head. Alerting the girl to_ _ **keep her mouth shut.**_

(He won't kill me. He won't put me _**out of my misery-**_ )

 _With shaky steps, however, the girl moved forward._

" _I started the fight," Toga informed, her voice_ _ **breaking**_ _as she looked up at Adachi. The man pushed his glasses up his nose, as he let go of Chiyo. Hanami immediately rushed to her side._

 _Rubbing the back of her head tenderly, Chiyo watched on, lips parted as Adachi advance towards Toga._

(No-Don't-)

" _A crybaby_ _ **and**_ _a liar? Honestly, Himiko I'm impressed," Chiyo drawled, standing up tenderly. She stuck her chin out, and looked up at Adachi defiantly. "_ _ **I**_ _started the fight. She wouldn't shut up, so I thought I should shut her mouth for her,"_

 _Adachi's eyes gleamed, as he let out a cold laugh._

" _Is that so?" he replied, moving forward to ruffle Chiyo's hair. "How astute of you Chiyo-chan!"_

 _Chiyo just nodded her head, but braced herself. Pain greeted her once more, as the man wrapped his hand around her neck and brought her to eye level._

" _You know I don't condone fighting," The man had whispered, as Chiyo struggled to_ _ **breathe**_ _. "But… you've never cared much for rules have you?"_

 _Chiyo just glared at the man. Hoping she could convey her feeling towards him in one single gaze._

(IhateyouIhateyou **Ihateyou** -)

" _We're going to have great fun Chiyo-chan," He said softly, as a few of the guards went to escort her out of the room. She rubbed at her neck, and looked back before she exited. She could see slight tears start to squeeze out of Toga's eyes._

 _With a sigh, and a slight smile, Chiyo mouthed the words 'Crybaby' to the girl. Toga's eyes widened as she hurriedly wiped at her eyes. Chiyo snorted softly at the sight._

 _ **I'll be fine.**_

* * *

 _(She couldn't remember what happened after. Or What Adachi had forced her to do. She couldn't remember_ _ **why**_ _Toga had started that fight, or why she herself had egged her on. All she could remember was not being able to sleep that night due_ _ **to the pain**_ _-)_

* * *

Chiyo groaned, as she looked over the multiple offers given to her. She eventually put the papers off to the side.

"I don't know who to pick," She informed Kirishima, who had already chosen his pro hero. "There's too many,"

Kirishima snorted, but placed the papers back into Chiyo's hand.

"You poor child," The boy drawled. "It must suck being so talented,"

Chiyo rolled her eyes, before looking over the pamphlet. Her eyes widened, as they came across a rather familiar name.

 _(She had remembered glaring at them. Those pro heroes who thought they were all so high and mighty. When in actuality, they couldn't save a_ _ **damn**_ _thing. The heroes who had been picked to go search the lab._

 _She had been laying her head against Kino's shoulder as she looked over all of them. Red eyes had met her own, causing Chiyo to jump slightly as she met the girl's gaze head on._

 _She had been younger than the other inhabitants of the group, Chiyo had noticed. Her bunny ears making her quite noticeable. With an easy grin, she had waved at Chiyo._

 _Chiyo had just scowled at the sight, however, digging her face into Kino's shoulder._

 _How dare she? How dare she smile at her as if they were friends? What could a hero wannabe like her possibly know-)_

"Chiyo?" Kirishima questioned, poking Chiyo's cheek. "You alright?"

Chiyo just nodded her head, as she looked over the name once more.

 _Miruko._

"She's in the top ten now, isn't she?" Chiyo mumbled, as she traced over the name, much to Kirishima's confusion.

 _(I doubt she even remembers me-)_

"Miruko," Chiyo called out, looking towards Kirishima as she put the paper down. "She'd be a good choice,"

Kirishima looked at her for a moment, before nodding slowly.

"I mean yeah," He stated before looking over her paper. "But what about Gang Orca? Your quirks are kinda similar-"

Chiyo shook her head, as she circled Miruko's name.

 _(Present Mic could help with the auditory part of her quirk at any time. She needed to face this-)_

"Miruko," Chiyo whispered, as she folded the paper neatly. "I think it has to be her,"

 _(I want to apologize. I need to ask her-)_

Chiyo smiled at Kirishima, as she nudged him with her wing.

"Sides, if she's in the top ten then I'm sure she's _very manly_ ,"

"I thought girls couldn't be manly?"

"Well, _sometimes_ it's okay,"

* * *

"You're going with Miruko, Chiyo-chan?" Tooru questioned, as they walked to their table. Chiyo nodded her head slowly.

"She's in the top ten. She has to have some talent," Chiyo informed as they both took a seat. She could imagine the invisible girl rolling her eyes at that.

"Well, yeah! I just didn't think she'd be your type. She's really feisty!" Tooru replied, pumping an invisible fist. Chiyo frowned at that, and fiddled with her piercings.

"Why wouldn't that be my type?" Chiyo questioned, as she slurped her noodles. Jirou waved an earphone jack at the girl, as Yao patted her mouth delicately with a napkin.

"I think Hagakure-san means that you seem like you'd go for someone more serious. Miruko is very strong, but also a bit ruthless. Not unlike Bakugou-san," Yao replied, tapping her chin in realization. Mina and Jirou shuddered at the comparison.

"I don't even wanna think about what Bakugou's gonna be like as a pro," Mina stated, putting her drink down on the table. Jirou snorted at the thought of it, as she wrapped an earphone jack around her finger.

"I wonder what all of us would be like as pros," Jirou wondered aloud. She grinned slightly, as her ear jacks straightened. "Are any of us gonna make it into the top ten?'

Chiyo fiddled with her piercings, and grinned.

"It's obvious, isn't it? Yao's a shoo-in for the number one spot," Chiyo declared, as the raven haired girl blushed slightly. Mina laughed at that, and patted Yao's back.

"Yaomomo for the win!" The pinkette cheered, as Chiyo smoothed out her headband.

"I guess I'll settle for the number two spot," Chiyo stated, somewhat disappointedly. "If Yao's number one, then it can't be helped,"

Beaming from the praise, Yaoyorozu just shook her head.

"You're selling yourself short, Mori-chan. You got more offers than I did-"

"That's just cause all the pros are blind," Chiyo insisted, furrowing her brow. "If they can't see your talent, they're dumb asses. You should have gotten the most offers,"

Yaoyorozu blinked at her momentarily, as Chiyo downed her drink. A careful smile made its way onto the taller girl's face.

"You're too kind, Mori-chan," Chiyo snorted, and shook her head.

"Oh hush. I'm just _honest,_ "

* * *

"Miruko? She's stationed in… Kyushu, isn't she?" Hiroto questioned from his place at the stove. "That's a good couple hours from here isn't it?"

Chiyo nodded her head, as she blew on her food.

"Yeah. I think it's for the best," Chiyo replied, as she shoveled food into her mouth. The TV played in the back, as Chiyo watched it halfheartedly. Her ears perked up at the mention of the 'Hero Killer'.

"Hiroto," Chiyo stated,as she went to turn the volume up. "How long has this psycho been at large?"

Hiroto's brow furrowed, as he turned towards the TV. He hummed in recognition, once he saw the subject of Chiyo's question.

"Stendhal," The man informed. "He used to be a vigilante, last time I heard. No idea how long he's been using the name 'Stain'," He scoffed, as he turned back to the stove. "It's idiotic what he's doing. Planning to 'purge' corrupt heroes. He's just as bad as those he claims to hate,"

Chiyo nodded as she continued to watch the TV. Her mouth parted slightly, as she watched the picture they had captured of the man. Her thoughts strayed to Masago for a moment, as she turned the volume down. The raven haired girl had chosen to do her internship at news station. Deeming it to be her calling.

 _("Don't you remember Chiyo-chan? If it hadn't been for the News, even more people would have been taken-")_

She'd have to remember to ask the girl what she knew.

"You're right," Chiyo mused, as she thought of the slightly defeated expression Iida had contained on his face in school that day. Or the pain he had caused the multiple families of his victims.

"You're right," Chiyo repeated, as she turned the TV off. She smiled softly, as she stared down at her food. "But… I get where he's coming from," Hiroto froze from his place at the stove, as he turned towards Chiyo.

"Chiyo-"

"Don't get me wrong," Chiyo interrupted, rolling her eyes. "I don't plan to go on a killing spree. I just… I understand why he's lost faith in some heroes,"

Her cheeks warmed, as she looked back down at her food.

"It's why… It's why I want to be a hero people can have faith in," Chiyo informed, slightly flustered. "I don't want to give people a reason to hate someone meant to protect them,"

Hiroto stared at her for a few moments more, before letting out a loud laugh. He moved forward to ruffle her hair.

"I'll hold you to that," He said between his laughter. He grinned down at her.

"I look forward to seeing the type of hero you become, _Sonic_ ,"

* * *

Chiyo rested her head on the counter, as she finished dealing with yet another customer. She groaned, as the toll of the bell alerted her that she would once more have to get to work.

She placed a careful smile on her face, as she turned towards the door.

"Welcome to _Sinful Temptations_. How may I help you-"

"Whoa, Koumori is that you? I didn't know you worked here," A very cheerful voice broke through. It contained a slightly cheeky undertone to it, and Chiyo rolled her eyes at the sound of it. "Can I get a discount?"

"When Hell freezes over," Chiyo replied immediately, massaging her temple. Mirio let out a booming laugh, as his companion looked between the two curiously. She patted Mirio's arm.

"Hey, hey, Togata. Who's this?" The girl questioned. Before Mirio could answer, the girl gasped and grabbed Chiyo's cheeks.

"You're a first year aren't you?" The bubbly girl questioned. "Man you have a lot of piercings! Yuyu has a lot too. They look really cool!"

Chiyo stared at the girl blankly, as the upperclassmen continued to pull at her cheeks. She gave Mirio a look that quite frankly told him to _get his friend_.

With a nervous laugh, Mirio pulled the girl off of Chiyo. Chiyo rubbed her cheeks, as Mirio gave her an apologetic grin.

"This is Nejire Hado," Mirio introduced, as the blue haired girl pouted slightly. Chiyo nodded her head, and bowed slightly towards the elder girl.

"Chiyo Koumori. A pleasure to make your acquaintance Senpai," Chiyo replied, pasting a structured smile onto her face. She gave Mirio a look out of the corner of her eye.

"Did Maki-senpai finally grow tired of you?" Chiyo questioned, as she looked over the register. "Can't say I blame him," The blonde just let out another laugh.

"Man, you're cold," Mirio said, as he rubbed at his nose. "Tamaki just had business to take care of. Nejire was free, and she said she always wanted to come here-"

"I heard your chocolate cakes are to die for!" The blue haired girl broke through, leaning into the display case. "How much is one?"

Chiyo pointed to the price, and the two upperclassman gawked at the sight of it.

"Umm… that's a little pricey, don't ya think?" Mirio brought forth, rubbing the back of his head. With a sigh, Chiyo brought forth the samples and placed it in front of them.

"Try it for yourself, and tell me it isn't worth the price," Chiyo informed, fiddling with her piercings. "At _Sinful Temptations_ , we're known for our chocolate-"

Mirio barely concealed a chuckle, as Chiyo's brow twitched slightly.

"Something funny Rio-senpai?" Chiyo questioned, placing a carefree smile onto her face.

"You sounded like a spokesperson," The blonde informed, in between giggles. Chiyo rolled her eyes, and whacked him with her wing.

"If you're not here to buy anything, then you can-"

"I'll take three," Mirio brought forth, bringing out his wallet. Chiyo's eyes bugged out of her head, as Nejire tugged at the blonde's jacket.

"Hey, hey, are you sure Togata? It tastes good, but buying three-"

Chiyo automatically placed three dark chocolate cakes into a bag, and pushed them forward. She gave Mirio a bright grin.

"You won't regret it senpai!" Chiyo prattled. "The rich texture in our cakes, is something you won't find anywhere else-"

"It still seems too expensive to me," Nejire pouted, as she leaned on the counter. "It all looks so good too. Is there anything else?"

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to buy some Neji-senpai?" Chiyo questioned, batting her eyelashes for extra effect. "I know it looks a bit pricey… but happiness can never be too expensive,"

Nejire pursed her lips together for a few moments. Eventually she sighed, and brought her wallet out as well.

"You drive a hard bargain, Chiyo-chan," The girl muttered, as Chiyo grinned and packed up a chocolate cake for her as well.

"You won't regret it! Next time you visit, you're eligible for a free discount," Chiyo replied, giving the two upperclassmen their receipts. "Visit again soon!"

With a wave, the two of them made to leave the bakery. Mirio stopped as soon as he had one foot out of the door, however.

"I watched your Sports Festival," He stated, as he turned to give the shorter girl a grin. "Not as good as me, but you did pretty well,"

Chiyo rolled her eyes, as she leaned on the counter.

"'Not as good as you'?" She questioned, the corners of her lips turning upwards. "A bit cocky aren't ya? Tell me, how many times did your clothes fall off during the tournament?"

"Five times," Nejire supplied, sticking her head in through the doorway. She raised five fingers for extra effect. The tips of Mirio's ears turned slightly red, as he turned to Nejire in betrayal.

" _Hado_ -"

"Five times?" Chiyo questioned, before letting out a whistle. "Not bad senpai. I have a reason to watch the third years festival now,"

With a blank look towards Chiyo, Mirio took his cakes and slowly walked out of the bakery. Nejire waved excitedly at Chiyo as they exited the store.

Chiyo just nodded her head, as she fiddled with her piercings once more.

She placed her head on the counter, as she waited for the next customers to make their appearance.

* * *

She stared at the mirror for a few moments, continuously fidgeting with her clothes. She undid her tie, only to retie it in the same exact way moments later.

A knock on the door startled her out of her rather obsessive behavior.

"Ashido-kun's at the door," Hiroto grumbled, sounding a bit grouchy. "Hurry up before she breaks the door bell,"

Chiyo rolled her eyes, but went to pick up her belongings. She sent one last blazing look towards the mirror.

Red eyes gazed back at her challengingly as she walked out of the room.

Ignoring his mumbling, Chiyo squeezed Hiroto with a hug.

"Try not to be too depressed with me gone," Chiyo replied cheekily. "I know you can't live without me,"

The man just snorted, and proceeded to mess up the hair that Chiyo had spent quite some time meticulously combing.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, brat," the man replied, as he walked to the bathroom. He froze, as he put one step through the door. "Knock em dead, alright?"

Chiyo's eyes widened, as she placed her sunglasses over her face hurriedly. With a grin that was all teeth, she sent him a thumbs up.

"Keep your eye on the news, ok? I wouldn't want you to miss _Sonic's_ debut," Chiyo replied as she walked down the stairs. She stuck her chin out. "I know you're getting older and all-"

"You're gonna go _there_?' The man questioned incredulously. "I could kick your ass any day of the week,"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Chiyo mimicked. She tilted her head down, as a genuine smile made its way onto her face. "But… keep me in your thoughts. I'll need all the help I can get,"

"The hell happened to all that confidence you just had?" The man questioned. "You think too much sometimes. While that's important, it can hold ya back. There are times in the field when you won't have time to think. You just _act_ ,"

Chiyo gripped the strap of her bag, and nodded. Blue eyes softened slightly, as he went to ruffle her hair once more.

"Sides, we're all rooting for ya. That's not gonna change," He replied as he finally walked into the bathroom. "That's something that doesn't even need to be _said_ ,"

Chiyo clenched her fist, as she looked down at her shoes.

 _(You have so many people in your corner-)_

With one last grin, Chiyo rushed out of the door.

* * *

Mina and Chiyo walked side by side, with the pinkette talking Chiyo's ear off.

"Isn't this exciting?" Mina prattled, practically bouncing as she walked. "This is so cool-"

"Mina-chin," Chiyo interrupted, poking the taller girl's cheek. "Slow down. We're not even at the internships yet," Mina just pouted, and gave her a look.

"You're not the least bit excited?" Mina questioned accusingly. Chiyo looked off to the side hurriedly, as her cheeks warmed slightly.

 _(Admit it. Just admit it-)_

"I guess," Chiyo mumbled as she fiddled with her piercings. With a squeal, Mina gathered the girl in a hug.

"You're lucky too," Mina replied, happily, much to Chiyo's confusion. "C'mon, guess why!"

"Mina-chin-"

"Ochako's going to Miruko's place too!" The pinkette exclaimed, causing Chiyo's eyes to widen. "You won't be lonely,"

Chiyo remained silent for a moment, before forcing a smile.

"That's great!" She replied, somewhat cheerfully. "Absolutely amazing,"

Mina smiled at that, as she linked arms with Chiyo.

Chiyo clenched her fists, as she mulled over the new information.

 _(She was going there to talk to Miruko about her_ _ **past**_ _. Nobody else was supposed to be there-)_

Chiyo breathed in and out, as she pushed the events out of her mind.

 _(Don't worry about it. Push it from your mind-)_

It wasn't as if her and Ochako would be joined at the hip for their internship, Chiyo realized eventually. It was an inconvenience, but an inconvenience she could deal with.

The moment the rest of her class came into view, Mina waved at them excitedly.

Kaminari placed her in a headlock, the moment she joined them, however.

"You left me on read yesterday," He accused, causing Han-chan to laugh slightly. " _Rude_ ,"

Chiyo just gave him a look.

" _Yesterday?_ Kami-sama, you texted me at _two in the morning_. I dunno about you, but I actually enjoy my sleep," Chiyo informed, rolling her eyes. "It was about something _stupid_ too-"

"It was _not_ stupid-"

"Did he text you, asking "If people on Mars solved problems differently?"," Han-chan questioned, laughing even more when Chiyo nodded from her position in the headlock. "Hate to break it to ya buddy, but that _was_ pretty stupid,"

Kaminari pouted, as Kirishima struggled to hold in a laugh as well. He placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"We all have moments like that," Kirishima said solemnly, as the blonde nodded his head. A cheeky grin took over his features. "You just more than others,"

Kaminari scowled, as the three of them laughed raucously at his antics.

"Quiet," Aizawa ordered, as they all got into line. Chiyo stood up straight, as his dark eyes washed over every single one of them

"For the next week, you'll be visiting agencies all around the country," the man informed. "Take this experience, and make sure you _learn_ from it. Remember to mind your manners, and not to wear your hero costume in public unless given express permission,"

Chiyo nodded her head, as she fiddled with her piercings once more.

His eyes softened slightly, as he turned away from the class.

"You're dismissed. Take care of yourselves," The man stated, as the class dispersed. Chiyo let out a deep breath, as she felt someone tap on her shoulder.

Ochako gave her a slightly nervous smile.

"Chiyo-chan, you're going to Miruko-san's place too?" She questioned somewhat hopefully. With a soft smile, Chiyo nodded her head.

"Yeah. it's like a five hour ride, so we're gonna have to make ourselves comfy," Chiyo replied, patting her bag. "I got snacks,"

The brunette just continue to smile nervously, as she fidgeted with her case. Chiyo gave her a slightly worried look as they made their way to their train.

"You alright, Chako-chin?" Chiyo questioned poking her cheek. "You seem… tense,"

The girl let out a sigh, as she looked off to the side.

"It's just… Miruko-san's in the top ten, and she's really strong and talented, and _Idon'tknowwhyshewouldwantme_ -"

Chiyo's eyes widened as she looked at the taller girl. She nudged the girl with her wing.

"Hey, you're plenty strong," She informed firmly. "Your fight against Baku was amazing. You shocked all of us,"

The girl smiled slightly, as Chiyo linked arms with the girl.

"Sides, by that logic I shouldn't have gotten any offers," Chiyo stated, as she fiddled with her piercings." Ochako looked towards Chiyo hurriedly, as the girl placed another grin onto her face.

"I guess we just have to prove ourselves," Chiyo realized. "Show the bunny that she didn't waste her time in choosing us,"

Ochako's eyes widened for a moment, before she smiled softly.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," She replied as they boarded the train.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 21! I didn't say anything last chapter, but I'm really happy this story was able to make it past 20 chapters. Hopefully I can keep up with it and continue to complete more milestones. One day we'll hopefully be at _Meraki_ chapter 50. Or _Meraki_ chapter 100(That might be pushing it, but you get the gist). Chiyo is interning with Miruko, and she's not alone. The reason I made Ochako intern with Miruko as well, is because I thought someone like Miruko would be good for Ochako's development(Not that she's poorly developed in the original story, I just wanted to try something different). I want to thank all of you that favorited, followed and reviewed last chapter. Last chapter we got over 20 reviews, which is the highest number of reviews I've gotten for a single chapter. Thank you guys so much!

Things you Guys said:

 **assAaaAAAAA oh my GLOB! Finally, Chiyo is making peace with Todoroki, and her mum finally said her name! And her super hero name! Adorable, this is definitely one of the most feel good chapters in this fic so far.** Thank you for reading! I'll try my best to add in more feel good chapters when I can.(But I will warn you that along with the feel good chapters, there will also be very angst filled ones. Be prepared).

 **Will you pick the pairing to be the one with the majority of votes?** Yes. If there ends up being a tie, then I'll pick one from the top two.

 **Did her eye injury cause permanent damage?** No it didn't. But if she keeps on injuring her eyes, then it will.

 **First, I ship her with Katsuki and the ship name could be SonicBoom!** I really like that!

 **Dammit. First of all I just want to say I love the story so far but my problem is I was shipping Chiyo with Shinsou and then here comes Todoroki being adorable and now I just can't choose. You're just too good.** I try my best. Thanks for being a faithful reader!

 **I ship her with the Shinsou for many reasons but mostly for being cute together although he is a bit distant and for the possibility of them having a son who approaches the idea of a vampire. Imagine a mix of quirk bat and vocal control. A brat who is insomniac and terribly charismatic and who loves to troll his colleagues drinking some reddish drink to see the reaction of the people around. Yes, I would like to read this kind of omake. XD** Shiyo is really growing in popularity. In the beginning of the story, I hadn't even planned for them to be friends, so this is pretty surprising.

 **For that she is now my favorite character in MHA. Sonic the Hedgehog is number 1.** That's why Chiyo chose him as her superhero name.

 **So is Chiyo and Shouto going to have a slow friendship?** Not slow necessarily, but they won't be spilling any of their major secrets to one another anytime soon. They can sort of sense that the other hasn't had the best life, and can understand each other on that level. Eventually, they'll be both be more open, and become kindred spirits of a sense.

 **I personally found issue in how Chiyo conveyed her past to Shinsou. It felt... weird. I could kind of tell what you were trying to go for, but it really didn't seem to fit. The delivery was strange and dragged on for too long, especially with the sort of 'fairytale' theme you we're trying to implement. The circumstances for her spilling her guts made sense, but the actual scene setup felt forced. These are just things to take into consideration, especially for crucial points during the story involving immense character or relationship development.** Thank you for the constructive criticism, I greatly appreciate it. The reason the delivery was a bit forced, and OOC, was because Chiyo had just taken medicine to help with her eyes, so she wasn't in the best state. I tried to showcase that Chiyo was starting to feel weaker and weaker as she told the story. I went for a fairytale esque theme, because It was easier for Chiyo as a character to tell it that way. But I will admit that I could've done better in terms of delivery. I'll definitely take this into account for future interactions.

 **I have the ultimate pair for you. It's ChiyoxChiyo! Chiyo learns to love herself! It'd be called YoYo!** YoYo is actually the main pairing in this story. Everything else comes second.

Questions I have for you guys:

What do you think of Chiyo interning with Miruko? Of Ochako joining her?

Do you guys have any questions for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter._

 _P.P.S. I love reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _His mouth parted, as he saw the girl writhe in pain on the floor. The man- **All For One they called him** -just stared down at her apathetically. He had turned to the rest of them, almost as if he was daring them to speak out of turn as well._

 _His eyes washed over Hiroto, and the boy found himself shiver involuntarily. The man smiled at that._

 _("Hiro," She had told him one day, her obsidian eyes glimmering. "You're wasting your life. You could be so much more than you are now-")_

 _He almost wanted to believe her._

 _A cigarette dangled from his lips, as he watched the smoke waft in front of him. With a scoff, he threw his cigarette to the ground, and grounded it with his heel._

 _("You could be so much more than you are now-")_

 _His hand throbbed, as he slammed it against the bench he was currently sitting on. He watched on disinterestedly, as he started to bleed._

 _(What kind of person am I? What kind of person leaves a defenseless girl to fend for herself-)_

 _They had all walked over her. Some even spitting on the girl to further ferment their position under the man's ranks. Hiroto… he just walked away without another word._

 _He looked down at his hand, and was shocked to find water droplets dripping onto it. He raised a hand to his cheek, and laughed as he felt a warm mixture make its way down his face._

 _(When was the last time you had cried-)_

 _He was tired, he quickly began to realize. Tired of it all._

 _(Tired of wasting his life only to become a fucking statistic-)_

 _He pulled out his cellphone, and stared at the previous number who had called him._

 **Akito Nishimura.**

 _He contemplated his next choice of action, before eventually dialing the number._

 _(He was just so tired-)_

* * *

Ochako's eyes widened, as the brunette took in the busy city in front of them. Chiyo snorted at the sight, before pulling out her phone.

"The bunny's address isn't too far from here," Chiyo informed, placing the device back into her bag. Her wings drooped slightly. "After that train ride, I'm _beat_. Hopefully we're not doing too much on the first day,"

Ochako just nodded, as she stared around in slight wonder. Chiyo chuckled at that, as the two walked side by side. She froze abruptly upon a familiar sight, however.

"Chako-chin," Chiyo said with the utmost seriousness, tugging on the taller girl's sleeve. "We _have_ to go there first,"

Ochako blinked, as she looked at the area Chiyo was pointing at. Her jaw dropped instantaneously.

"Chiyo-chan," The girl said tentatively as she froze in her tracks. She laughed nervously and scratched her cheeks, as she stared pointedly at the prices. "Don't ya think this place is a bit… too _expensive_ ," Chiyo shook her head immediately as she walked towards the store.

" _Sinful Temptations_ is one of the best bakeries out there," Chiyo informed, walking into the familiar store. "It has multiple locations throughout Japan, and-"

"Chiyo-chan," Ochako broke through, looking slightly uncomfortable. Chiyo froze, as her ears perked up. "I don't… I don't have the money to buy anything from here,"

Chiyo mulled over the information, before mentally smacking herself. She gave Ochako a bright grin.

"That's alright. It'll be my gift to you," She replied easily enough, smacking her fist into her palm. "I'll buy one for the bunny too! Our carrot cake's pretty good-"

"'Our'," Ochako quoted, her eyes widening. "What do you mean 'our'?"

Chiyo grinned sheepishly, as she opened the door to the store.

"My sister and her friend own the string of bakeries. I work at the one in Musutafu,"

Ochako's mouth parted in realization, as Chiyo made a beeline for the counter. She pulled out her wallet, and sent the boy behind it a smile. The boy returned it with a smile of his own and Chiyo couldn't help the unsettling feeling that came with being on the other side of the counter.

Chiyo's lips quirked up, as her eyes narrowed challengingly.

"What are the specials?" Chiyo questioned as she fiddled with her piercings. The boy looked slightly surprised, before he cleared his throat and listed them off.

"Chocolate cake, red velvet muffins, lemon meringue-"

"When was the first store licensed?" Chiyo questioned, not giving the boy a chance to think. The boy kept his smile carefully in place.

"11 years ago," The boy replied smoothly, before adding "In Musutafu,"

Chiyo grinned, and placed some money on the table.

"I _like_ you," Chiyo replied, as she grinned sheepishly. "Sorry for the Q&A,"

"Trust me, you're not the worst customer I've had," The boy replied, before sending Chiyo a wink. His brown eyes reminded her of cinnamon. "Sides… if it's someone's cute as you, I don't mind the Q&A,"

Chiyo froze at that, and stared at the boy blankly.

 _(Was he-)_

Chiyo pointed to herself, and blinked slowly. She let out a nervous laugh, as went to fiddle with her piercings.

"They must really love you over here," Chiyo replied, as she floundered for what to say next. The boy just laughed, and sent her another award winning smile.

"What would you like?' He asked, his brown eyes twinkling slightly. Chiyo's mouth parted for a moment, before she smiled slightly.

 _(It was… flattering-)_

"Two cheesecakes, and one carrot cake please,"

* * *

When she had thought of Miruko, she had expected rough edges and sharp smiles. An intellectual. Someone that would have the ability to tear an individual down by only using a few words.

In a way… Chiyo had gotten that. Sort of.

The moment Ochako and her made their way to the bunny hero's home, Chiyo had been met with a swift kick to the face.

It hadn't been direct, thankfully. Hitting the side of her face instead of the front.

Ochako-who had offered to hold the cakes-gasped, as she took a few steps back. She looked between Miruko and Chiyo tentatively, as the bunny eared woman cracked her knuckles. The dark skinned woman grinned challengingly.

"You're late," The woman replied, as she looked at the bags in Ochako's arms. Her nose scrunched up slightly, before her red eyes widened. " _Is that carrot cake?!_ "

Chiyo rubbed her cheek, and scowled when she felt a numb sensation begin in the center. Her sunglasses had flown to the other side of the room. She glared at the woman as she happily made small talk with Ochako.

 _(She had smiled at her as if they were old friends-)_

"Is this how you greet all your guests?" Chiyo questioned, ignoring the throbbing pain in her cheek. She couldn't help the slight edge that had wedged its way into her voice. She desperately tried to look anywhere other than the woman in front of her. "A bit rude aren't ya?"

Miruko just snorted, as she swung an arm around Ochako's shoulder. She stuck her tongue out at Chiyo.

"A hero keeps their guard up at all times," She replied, taking a bite out of the carrot cake. "It's training, brat. Better get used to it,"

Ochako gave Chiyo a slightly pitying look, as Miruko strong armed the girl into the house. With a heavy scowl, Chiyo followed begrudgingly.

The inside of the pro hero's apartment consisted of multiple weights, bench presses, and food wrappers. Chiyo scrunched her nose, as she stepped over an empty water bottle.

Ochako seemed to contemplate the right words to say.

"Miruko-san-"

" _Rumi_ ," The woman interrupted, as she put her snow white hair into a ponytail. Chiyo scowled even more, as she realized that under the jarring persona the woman put on, she was actually quite pretty. Ochako seemed to play the name over in her head, before she turned to the woman and bowed her head.

"Ochako Uraraka," She replied, as Chiyo just fiddled with her piercings. The bunny eared woman seemed pleased with that, before she turned to Chiyo.

"What about you, shrimp?"

Chiyo gave the woman an unimpressed look, as she picked up a few items of trash on the ground.

"You obviously know our names, since you sent the offers," Chiyo replied, gazing blankly at the slightly taller woman. "I'd rather not waste time," Ochako's eyes widened, as Miruko whistled slightly.

"Okay," The woman started slowly, before pasting a grin onto her face. "We'll have to work on getting that stick out of your ass this week!" Chiyo sputtered, as she turned to the woman abruptly.

" _I do not_ -"

"Ochako-chan," Miruko replied cheerfully, ignoring Chiyo. "Your rooms in the back. Make yourself at home,"

Ochako nodded tentatively as Chiyo clenched her fists.

 _(Get it together Koumori-)_

"Where will I be staying?" Chiyo questioned through gritted teeth. Miruko gave her a look.

"I don't know where you'll be staying," Miruko said disinterestedly, glancing at her nails. "I don't like letting strangers into my home, y'know?"

Chiyo bit her lip, as her nails dug into her palms. She bowed her head.

"Chiyo Koumori," The tiny girl stated slowly. "... A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Rumi-san,"

Miruko just grinned, her bunny ears twitching..

"You'll be staying in the back too, Chiyo-chan,"

* * *

"If it starts to bruise," Chiyo started off, as she observed her cheek in the mirror. "I'm _suing_. I can't believe-"

"Chiyo-chan," Ochako started off comfortingly, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You look fine. I'm sure it'll-"

"The nerve of her," Chiyo continued, almost as if Ochako hadn't spoken. She scowled as she dabbed ointment on the area. "Who actually-"

"Chiyo-chan," Ochako interrupted, a bit louder this time. "Do you not like Miruko-san?"

Chiyo just gave Ochako a look, as she pushed strands of hair behind her ears.

"She kicked me in the face. Forgive me for not being her biggest fan," Chiyo snapped matter of factly, before catching herself. She rubbed the back of her head as she looked off to the side.

"Sorry about that," Chiyo mumbled. Ochako just hummed as she leaned forward to brush her teeth.

"Aizawa-sensei uses his cloth on you whenever you're sleeping. He's one of your favorite teachers," Ochako informed, as she spat in the sink. She looked at the shorter girl from the corner of her eye. "It's different with Miruko-san. It's like there's _tension_ ,"

 _(Smarter than she looks-)_

Chiyo clenched her fists slightly, and remained silent as she went to wash her face. Eventually, she just sighed.

"It's nothing, Chako," Chiyo replied as she wiped her face clean. "She just doesn't rub me the right way. That's all,"

Ochako just nodded her head slowly, before grinning. It was nice Chiyo noted. Her smile was warm and welcoming the tiny girl realized, as she found herself returning it.

'I'm glad we're at the same place," Ochako informed, linking arms with Chiyo. "It's like a sleepover!" Chiyo snorted at that, as she carefully took her earrings out.

"A sleepover? Haven't had many of those," Chiyo stated, as she pressed a finger to her chin. Her and Shinsou had sleepovers, but they had mostly consisted of the two going on movie marathons. Or Chiyo begrudgingly listen to Shinsou talk about heroes.

Ochako hugged a pillow to her chest, and nodded her head.

"Me neither!" The brunette replied, before sobering a bit. She rubbed the back of her head. "I did when I was younger, but it's been a while,"

Chiyo hummed, as she went to lie down on her stomach.

"I've never had a lot of girl friends. Or friends in general," Chiyo noted, scrunching her nose slightly. Her mind immediately went to the Core 7, as a bright smile bloomed on her face. "Well… friends my age, at least,"

"Seriously?" The brunette questioned, her eyebrows raising slightly. "You seem like the type to have been pretty popular," Chiyo snorted at that, and hurriedly shook her head.

"Honestly, I think people were more scared of me than anything. I wasn't the most approachable," Chiyo said, as she glanced down at her nails. She let out a slight laugh. "I was kinda depressing. I got into a fight with two girls my first year of middle school, so that _branded_ me-"

" _You got into a fight?_!" Ochako questioned, eyes bugging out of her head. She leaned forward excitedly. "Did you win?"

"Of course I did," Chiyo scoffed, looking slightly offended. "They were _dumb asses_. Probably couldn't tell their left from their right," Chiyo scowled at the thought of them. "They needed to be put in their place,"

Ochako nodded at that, before letting out a slight giggle. Chiyo raised an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?"

Ochako just shook her head, as more giggles spilled from her lips.

"It's just… I can't see you getting into random fights," The girl informed, brown eyes brightening. "You're so small and harmless looking-"

"I'm not that small," Chiyo grumbled, burying her face into her pillow. "It's not my fault you're all giants,"

The two girls conversed for a few moments, before Ochako pressed a finger to her chin.

"Mir- _Rumi-san_ is kinda small too," Ochako stated, as an involuntary scowl came over Chiyo's face. "I was expecting her to be a lot bigger. She's still plenty scary, though,"

Chiyo bobbed her head, as she blew flyaway strands of hair from her face. She tugged on her ear, before realizing that her earrings weren't there.

 _(Always so quick to judge-)_

"I should probably apologize," Chiyo mumbled, as Ochako bobbed her head in agreement. "She seems annoying, but she's still gonna be our teacher for the week," Ochako nodded her head in excitement at that.

"I'm getting kinda pumped just thinking about it," Ochako informed, bouncing slightly. She grinned cheekily. "I can't wait!" Chiyo just snorted, as she shifted to her side. Her bangs fell into her eyes once more, as she hurriedly went to brush them back.

"I never realized it it before… but you and Shima are really similar," Chiyo noted, placing her chin atop her pillow. "You're both so happy and bright all the time. How do ya guys do it?" Ochako just blinked owlishly at her, before giving her another bright smile.

"What do you mean?"

Chiyo stared at the girl blankly for a few moments, before just shaking her head.

"'What do I mean?'" Chiyo quoted, as she flicked the brunette's forehead. "It has to be a federal crime being that happy all the time," Ochako just rubbed her head, as she chuckled softly.

"What's there to be angry about?" The brunette questioned, brimming with pure energy. "We're at one of the top schools in the country, and we're surrounded by awesome people daily. I think it should be a crime not to be happy in this situation," If it was even possible, the girl's grin got even wider. "Our teachers are pretty cool too,"

Chiyo blinked slowly at that, as she nodded her head in agreement.

"When ya put it like that," Chiyo mumbled. "I feel kinda bad for complaining. This is a pretty cool opportunity,"

 _(Cool? She thought learning to be a hero was cool? What was going on with her-)_

The brunette hummed in agreement, as she chattered on for a few moments more. Chiyo bobbed her head every few moments, to indicate that she was listening.

Ochako's brow furrowed slightly, as she went to lie on her stomach.

"Chiyo-chan," Ochako started off slowly, causing the girl to blink in surprise. "What about you? You never really talk about yourself,"

Chiyo hummed momentarily, as she sat upright. She fiddled with the red bracelet on her wrist, as she thought of the proper words to say.

"Well… not much to say. I had a pretty quiet childhood," Chiyo replied, plastering a cheery smile onto her face. It felt tight, inauthentic. As if everything within her wanted to rebel at the words that had just left her mouth. Her wings straightened, as she hugged her pillow closer to her.

 _(It wasn't a complete lie. **They** had made her happy-)_

"I'm pretty boring," Chiyo stated, somewhat firmly. Her chin bobbed, as she went to lie down on her stomach. She grinned impishly, as she rested her head in her arms. "I'd much rather hear about you,"

Ochako stared at her for a few moments, her brown eyes lingering on the scars that decorated Chiyo's arms. Her mouth was set into into a firm line, before she placed a careful smile on her face. Chiyo tried not to scowl at that.

 _(I don't want your pity-_ )

The rest of the night was spent, with Ochako babbling to Chiyo about random happenings. Chiyo noticed that the brunette didn't hold the same vigor as before, however.

She nodded her head at the brunette's words, but couldn't shake the somber feeling that had overtaken her.

 _(There are some things that I hope you'll never learn about me-)_

* * *

Her wings twitched behind her, as she let out a rather loud yawn. Ochako pressed her chin to Chiyo's shoulder, in a desperate attempt to keep herself upright.

Miruko stood in front of the two. With the same stupid, shit eating grin present on her face.

It was currently four-thirty in the morning, and the bunny had quite literally dragged them out of bed.

They were taken to an abandoned junkyard. With the dark skinned woman doing multiple stretches in front of them.

Chiyo rubbed her eyes, as she shook out her wings in back of her.

"Rumi-san," Ochako questioned softly, her voice still mellow from lack of sleep. "What are we doing here?"

"Good question, Ochako-chan,". The woman replied, as she continued to stretch in front of them. She then proceeded to not actually answer the question.

"Rumi-san," Chiyo gritted out, as she clenched her fist. "With all due respect, it's still dark out. Don't you think it's too early-"

"I think it's too early for you to start whining," The woman interrupted, as she stretched out her rather muscular arms. "You didn't come here to get your beauty sleep, you came here to get _results_. Sleep is for the weak,"

Chiyo scowled at that, but stood up slightly straighter. She looked over at Ochako, and winced once she saw that all previous signs of sleep had been wiped from the brunette's face, as she joined their teacher in her stretching.

"She's right, Chiyo-chan," Ochako called out. "We came here to get _stronger_!"

Chiyo watched the two workout in front of her, as she let out another yawn.

"I hate you both," Chiyo mumbled, as she finally went to join them.

* * *

The morning started with Miruko taking the two girls through numerous workout routines.

Push ups, sit ups, jogs around the park. When they would finish one set, the bunny would put them through another. It was then, that she chose to ask the golden question.

"Why do you two wanna be heroes?" She asked, as she downed a water bottle. Her red eyes seemed to brighten, as she looked at the two, and it was then that Chiyo was struck with how small the woman truly was. She was barely taller than Ochako, and only a few inches taller than Chiyo herself.

 _(The bird-brain is taller than her-)_

Ochako was the first one to answer. Her brown eyes brightened with determination, as she stood up straighter.

"I want money," She said bluntly, before covering her mouth. Her eyes darted between Chiyo and Miruko, as her cheeks bloomed red. Chiyo felt her lips twitch downwards, as she looked off to the side.

 _(I thought she was different-Such a shallow reason)_

"I mean… it's-"

"Least your honest!" Miruko boomed, slapping Ochako's back. "What are you gonna use the money for, if you don't mind my asking?"

Ochako seemed to twiddle her thumbs for a moment, as she looked anywhere other than the bunny eared woman next to her.

"I want my parents to be able to take it easy," She mumbled shyly. She was silent for a few moments, before taking a deep breath. "I didn't exactly have a lot of money growing up. So I want to help my parents out a little more,"

She placed her face in her hands, as Chiyo placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She fiddled with her piercings, as slight feelings of guilt worked their way into her countenance.

 _(So quick to judge- **Always so quick to judge** -)_

"It's stupid-"

"Nonsense!" Miruko cried out, jumping to her feet. She sent Ochako a bright toothy smile. "It's your dream right? Don't sell yourself short,"

Red eyes found their way to Chiyo, causing the girl to perk up slightly. The smile she sent her was sharper, as she nodded their head.

"What about you?" She asked, stretching out her arms. "Do you want fame or fortune? Want your name written down in history-"

"I don't care about any of that," Chiyo interrupted firmly. She was silent for a few moments, before she chose to look to the sky. Watching as the birds flew overhead. "I just… I want to help people. Give them hope. Nothing more, nothing less,"

 _(Pink hair, grey eyes,-"You're amazing Chiyo-)_

"Everyone deserves to have hope," Chiyo replied softly. "If I have to be the one to give it to them, than so be it,"

Miruko just nodded her head, as she placed her hair into a tight ponytail.

"Well, well. Looks like the shrimp isn't a lost cause after all!" Miruko said chirpily. "I was getting worried, y'know?"

Chiyo just nodded her head, and clasped her hands together.

 _(I'm doing it for you guys-)_

"Well, that's enough of a break," Miruko stated, as she stretched her arms towards the sky. She gave the two an animalistic grin.

"Last one back to the house has to cook breakfast!" She called as she hopped away from the two.

Chiyo flapped her wings, and took to the sky. Her lips twitched, as she heard Ochako cry out in the back.

"That's not fair!"

* * *

Chiyo let out a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the shower. She shook the water droplets from her wings, as she stretched her arms.

She stared into the bathroom mirror, and placed a huge smile onto her face.

 _(Smile,smile,smile- **Those who smile are the strongest** -)_

"Shrimp!" Miruko called out, causing Chiyo to roll her eyes. "What the hell are you doing? It's been half an hour!"

Chiyo shook the water out of her hair, as she pulled on a spare pair of shorts and a red tank top. She flew down the stairs.

"Where's Chako?" Chiyo questioned, as she sat at the table. Miruko snorted, as she served Chiyo some pancakes.

"Moment she got here, she hit the pillow. We're gonna have to work on her stamina," The woman stated, motioning towards the brunette on the couch. Tiny little snores escaped the girl, as Miruko placed a blanket over her.

"You're surprisingly maternal," Chiyo noted as she took a bite of the food she was presented with. "It's _weird_ ,"

"Shut it," The woman replied, taking the seat across from her. "Finish your food before it gets cold,"

Chiyo stuck her tongue out at the woman, before shoving the pancakes into her mouth. Miruko wrinkled her nose at the sight, and ate her own food much slower.

"Even I'm not that much of a slob," The woman replied, sipping from her drink. "You'd be a lot cuter if you got rid of the attitude y'know,"

"Like you're one to talk" Chiyo countered, as she wiped at her mouth. "Weren't you known for your violence in your younger days? I heard people refused to team up with you cause of it,"

"Teams are for weaklings, anyways. If you need someone holding your hand to take down a villain, then you got no business being a hero," Miruko informed bluntly. Chiyo just nodded her head, as she looked down at her hands.

 _(Come on, just say it-)_

"Rumi-san," Chiyo gritted out. "I'd like to apologize for before,"

Miru- _Rumi_ , Chiyo corrected firmly, just stared at her for a few moments, before letting out a slight laugh.

"Look brat. If I got pissy every time someone got an attitude with me, my reputation would be a lot worse-"

"Your reputation isn't bad!" Chiyo replied quickly. "You're strong. People look up to you, and want to be like you. You give people hope-"

 _(What does it mean to be a hero-)_

"You… even if you're kinda _out there_ at times," Chiyo said softly. "I think… I think you're a proper hero,"

"Well thanks," Rumi replied, as she nibbled on a carrot. "I appreciate it,"

The two were silent for a few moments more, before Chiyo eventually squeezed her eyes shut.

"Rumi-san," Chiyo said softly. "Do you… remember me?"

The woman raised an eyebrow at Chiyo, as she continued to sip from her drink.

Chiyo's eyes narrowed, as she struggled to meet the woman's gaze. She drummed her fingernails on the table in anticipation.

"Pretty hard to forget a case like that," The woman replied eventually. "It was my first one too. I remember being so excited. Excited to prove myself, show my stuff,"

Chiyo kept drumming her fingernails.

"The place had been to hell and back by the time we got there," Rumi informed, looking down at her cup. "The few survivors we did find were damaged beyond repair. Mentally, physically or both," Her red eyes seemed to shine for a few moments, as she turned to Chiyo. "Things like that… they don't leave. They _never_ leave you. There are times when I still think about it,"

 _(The halls had been decorated with burning, decaying, corpses-)_

She could hear the water faucet drip in the background, but neither of the two individuals made a move to remedy it.

"You didn't change much. Still look like a porcelain doll," Rumi replied. A bittersweet smile crossed over the woman's face, as her bunny ears twitched. "You hated us, didn't you? I saw it in your eyes,"

Chiyo remained quiet, as she felt her eyes start to burn slightly. She nodded her head, as she wiped at her eyes.

"I did," Chiyo admitted, as her voice lowered. she averted her eyes in shame. "I hated you all so much for so long and I'm _sorry_ -"

"Calm down," Rumi replied, giving the girl a smile. "I get it. You have nothing to apologize for," Chiyo nodded her head, as she let out a shuddering breath. She eventually raised her eyes, red clashing against red, as she steeled herself.

"I.. my reason for being a hero. While I do want to give people hope, that's not it. I want to figure something out,"

"What is that?" The woman questioned, her voice softening. Chiyo sniffled, as she wiped her face.

 _(Cry, cry, cry- That's all you do-)_

"What makes hero society _thrive_? What does it mean to be a hero?" Chiyo questioned, burning holes into the woman in front of her. "Rumi-san, do you know-"

Rumi stared at the girl blankly for a few moments, before shaking her head. Her bunny ears twitched slightly, as she mulled over what to say.

"The answer is different for everyone," The woman said eventually. Her voice garnering a firm tone. Her red eyes sharpened. "I can't answer that for ya,"

Chiyo froze for a few moments, before looking down at her hands once more. She tried to focus on the drip of the faucet. The creak of the chair she was sitting in. Anything to take her mind off-

"I'm sorry," She whispered. "I know that, and yet…"

The woman just hummed, as she jumped to her feet. She cleared the table, as Chiyo continued to stare down at her empty cup. Eventually, the woman let out a heavy sigh.

"You're _strong_ shrimp. You got a good head on your shoulders," The woman replied, as she patted Chiyo's shoulder. " _Use it_ , and I guarantee you'll find your answer,"

Chiyo hummed in reply, as the woman left her alone to her thoughts.

* * *

 _"Rumi-san, based on what you saw… do you think that maybe other people could've made it out of the lab?"_

 _(Hanami had a regeneration quirk-)_

 _The woman just shook her head, as she adjusted the leaky faucet._

 _"It'd be impossible. We weren't even able to breathe due to the smoke," The woman replied. She caught herself, however, as she saw the look in Chiyo's eyes. Her mouth twisted into a straight line. "It… I'm sorry. But it's impossible,"_

 _(She knew. She knew and yet she couldn't help but to grasp onto a semblance of hope-)_

 _"Don't apologize Rumi-san," Chiyo sent the woman a soft smile. "I know you guys did your best,"_

 _(She was done blaming people for the inevitable-)_

 _Rumi ruffled her hair._

 _"Once pink cheeks wakes up, we're going on patrol," The woman stated. "Be prepared,"_

 _Chiyo just nodded her head._

 _(She could do this-)_

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 22! I want to thank all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed the last chapter. I greatly appreciate it! We should be wrapping up the internship arc in two chapters or so. _Meraki_ also passed _400_ followers, and is close to passing _300_ favorites. Thank you guys so much!

Things you Guys said:

 **Pretty interesting to see Chiyo intern under Miruko. As for Ochako joining her...eh I'm neutral about it.** I hope you enjoyed the interactions between the three of them!

 **Bet you a carrot Miruko is gonna get these girls pumped! Give'em some thicc biceps.** She definitely will!

 **As I'm reading and Chiyo has an episode I'm just like agrah not again this is starting to get annoying but then i realize that this is probably how people with ptsd must feel and that makes the fact that whenever Chiyo starts to get better even more special. Because it was not easy** Thank you. When it comes to Chiyo's panic attacks, that's one thing people don't seem to understand. Even if the lab happened years ago, it will still affect Chiyo for a long while. You don't get over that right away. Thanks for being a faithful reader!

 **Dang I didn't even think of Miruko but I think it'd be good for Chiyo to sort of confront one of the heros who she was so mad at when she was younger. I love the Chirio interaction and I think I sensed some romantic tension between them (I may just be biased OTP Chiyo x Mirio for the win) but I just feel like they complete each other. Meraki is a top-tier fanfiction tho, it's like at ATLA terms of quality(really really amazing).** I think that's one of the highest compliments I've gotten concerning this story. I hope you continue to enjoy this story!

 **Is her sonar passive and uses all sound haves in the area for situational awareness and if yes will she get some Dare Devil type hearing.** Chiyo already is able to use daredevil type hearing on some level, but the internship will definitely help her take better control of it.

 **Will this new hero training with a pro give her more leg based skills.** Yes. Chiyo is mainly a kick chick, so Miruko will definitely help her better live up to that.

 **Okay, so first off I absolutely love this story. Second, I really can't decide if I want to ship Katsuki x Chiyo or Todoroki x Chiyo. They both would be really cute with her, but i'm gonna have to hop on that Chiyo x Chiyo ship. YoYo for life!** YoYo is, and will always be the best ship.

 **I am prepared for the angst.** I hope so. I really do.

 **Obviously my gosh I love this story I have already received reread it multiple times and it never gets old I really hope you update soon I am gettin kind of impatient. Also I totally ship Shiyo and SonicBoom j mean that is just gah. Chirio is also really good. And. I. Can't. Decide. Halp. Love your story please continue its amazing.** Thank you so much for the support! I hope I can continue to keep you satisfied.

 **Lol. Like Katsuki/Chiyos pair name.** Me too! I'm really glad the reviewer came up with it.

Questions I have for you Guys:

How did you feel about the interactions between Miruko and Chiyo? Chiyo and Ochako?

Any questions you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter._

 _P.P.S. I love reading your reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _When it came to the relationship of Chiyo and Takahiro, it had been hate at first sight._

 _The tiny girl couldn't be bothered with- in her words- a disgusting, self obsessed hero wannabe. She had deemed the teen to be a waste of her time, and would stick up her nose whenever greeted with the sight of him._

 _The boy was convinced that the girl was an angsty little brat. Someone who wasn't worth speaking to. Unless you wanted to feel worse about yourself of course._

 _(Who did he think he was? Acting all high and mighty when his only goal was to become a stupid sellout of a hero-)_

 _(Who did she think she was? Acting so high and mighty when she had no goals whatsoever-)_

 _It had all come to a head one night._

 _"Oh?" Takahiro had questioned, as he held up Chiyo's stuffed rabbit. Honey colored eyes stared down at her mockingly. "Are you a **baby**? Who even uses these anymore-"_

 _"Give it back," Chiyo gritted out, her wings flaring. The TV droned on in the background, as the rest of their family conversed in the living room. "Give it back or-"_

 _"Or what?" The boy questioned, holding it out of the girl's reach. He gave the girl an unimpressed look, as she made pitiful grabs for the item. "You'll glare me to death? Newsflash brat, you've been trying that ever since we met, and I'm still here-"_

 _Chiyo eventually latched onto the rabbit, her claws digging in subconsciously. She felt her wings start to flap subconsciously, as her small form rose into the air. Red feathers wafted in the air._

 _(It was something that pissed her off immensely. How could someone so awful, contain something so **beautiful** -)_

 _A tearing sound broke Chiyo's concentration, as she fell onto her back. Small white puffs floated in the air._

 _(Why? Why wasn't she allowed to have good things-)_

 _She stared down at the rabbit-or what was left of the rabbit- as she held onto half. Takahiro rubbed the back of his head, as he dropped the half he had been holding onto the floor. His amber eyes held an emotion Chiyo was strongly familiar with, as the boy muttered an apology._

 _Chiyo couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. She desperately tried to stuff the white fluff back into the rabbit, as her breathing became slightly labored._

 _(She had used to have one just like this-A time when she was happy- She had given it to Hanami-Hanami who had-)_

 _Eventually Chiyo stopped. She stared down at what was left of her stuffed animal._

 _The cotton was spilled across the floor, in a curved line. It's button eyes had flown across the room._

 _Her eyes burned, as she gingerly got to her feet. Tears threatened to squeeze out of ruby red eyes, as the girl clenched her fists._

 _She walked up the stairs without another look in the teenage boy's direction._

 _(He was planning to save people? Hero society really was a **joke** -)_

* * *

 _(She remembered waking up the next morning, with the stuffed rabbit sitting peacefully next to her. Except for the obvious stitches going down it's midsection, it looked almost as good as new. Her thoughts immediately went to Hiroto, before a flash of red caught her eye. Two red feathers tickled her bicep, as she pushed herself up. She felt something akin to… **fondness** well up in her, before she pushed it away._

 _She still hated his guts.)_

* * *

Ochako clapped her hands cheerily, as Chiyo donned her new costume. The tiny girl couldn't help the slight pang of annoyance that came with it, however.

"They didn't even ask," Chiyo mumbled, as Miruko slapped her back quite roughly. The woman just gave her a pearly white smile.

"They never do," She replied solemnly, as her bunny ears twitched. Her lips twitched up into a grin. "You look _killer_ ,"

"I love the jacket, " Ochako stated, as she moved forward to touch it. "The trench coat was nice, but this looks cool too!"

Chiyo just nodded her head, as she took a look in the mirror.

Her costume didn't undergo a drastic change, but it was still quite noticeable.

Her black trench coat, had been replaced with a black hooded bolero jacket. Her bodysuit-which had used to don a red bat symbol- was now a simple plain black, and held a much more flexible material. The bat symbol had instead been placed on the back of her jacket.

Her boots had been given a slightly more flexible material as well.

She did a slight twirl in the mirror, and let out a slight sigh.

"I guess it isn't the worst," Chiyo mumbled. Ochako linked arms with her, once again reminding Chiyo of how short she really was.

"It's not bad at all! It looks practical! Not that your old costume _wasn't_ , but-"

"I get it Chako-chin," Chiyo replied, giving the girls arm a squeeze. She smiled slightly, as her wings fluttered. "Thank you,"

The brunette just grinned, as Miruko cracked her knuckles. The grin she sent them was feral.

"Alright brats! It's time for business," She placed a hand on her hip, and stared at the two expectantly. "Hero names?"

Ochako stood up slightly straighter, as she adjusted her outfit. Brown eyes brightened, as she clenched her fist.

"Uravity, Miruko-san," The bunny eared woman grinned at that, as she 'lightly' punched Ochako's shoulder.

"Uravity, huh? That's cute," the dark skinned woman informed, as Ochako rubbed her assaulted appendage. "It'll catch on once you go pro,"

The brunette just blushed at that, as she rubbed the back of her head. Red eyes turned to Chiyo, as the shorter girl crossed her arms.

"What about you shrimp?"

Chiyo fiddled with her piercings, as she breathed out through her nose.

 _("The type of hero to let people know that life is worth living-")_

"Sonic," The girl replied, giving the woman a lopsided smile. She ran a hand through her hair, before deciding to place it into a high ponytail. "I think it suits me,

Miruko just let out a whistle, as she turned around and beckoned the girls to follow after her.

"I expect great things from you, Sonic, Uravity!"

The two girls stared at each other for a moment, before grinning impishly. They went to follow after the woman.

"Yes Miruko-san!" They replied in unison.

* * *

 _("... You're destined for great things-")_

* * *

The city was loud, bustling. It struck something in Chiyo's heart, as she trailed after her two companions. Listening halfheartedly to the conversation Ochako and Miruko were currently having.

She had never liked crowds, she mused, as she flicked her hood over her head. They had always felt too cramped, _suffocating_.

 _(She wanted to be free-)_

A tiny boy, with quite frankly the largest pair of glasses Chiyo had ever seen, collided into her side. He jerked violently, as he stared up at her in trepidation.

"I-I'm sorry," He whispered, hurriedly pushing his glasses up his nose. Like most boys his age, an All Might figurine was tightly grasped in his hand.

 _(Hinata has one just like that-)_

Chiyo adjusted her goggles, and kneeled down next to the boy. She granted him a soft smile.

"Don't worry about it. It'll take a lot more than that to knock me out," Chiyo replied. She reached over to ruffle the boy's dark hair. "Are you ok-"

"Are you a hero?" The boy questioned hurriedly, pushing his glasses up his nose. His dark eyes seemed to shine. "You are aren't ya? That's so cool! Can ya give me an autograph?"

Before Chiyo even had the chance to respond, a notebook was pushed into her hands. She looked around hurriedly in search of Miruko- A real hero- only to see that her two companions were far ahead of her.

Chiyo looked down at the notebook, and at the hopeful look in the boy's eyes.

 _(He really wants me to sign this-)_

Chiyo grinned, as she took the pen from the boys hand.

"The name's Sonic," Chiyo informed, as she signed her name elegantly onto his notebook. "I'm not too big right now, but you'll be seeing me soon enough. What's your name, if you don't mind my asking?"

The boy twiddled with his thumbs, as he stared down at his shoes. His All Might figurine placed firmly under his arm.

"Takeshi," The boy whispered, his eyes glistening. "I wanna be a hero too,"

 _(Who doesn't nowadays-)_

"Well, Takeshi-kun," Chiyo stated, as she rose up. "You'll have to put in the work. Being a hero isn't a walk in the park," The boy nodded his head hurriedly at that, as he clenched his fist.

"I… I will! Thank you!" He exclaimed, as his cheeks bloomed red. Chiyo snickered at that, as she walked away from the boy. She picked up her pace in order to catch up to her group. Ochako gave her a sly grin.

"Fans already?" The brunette questioned, elbowing the shorter girl. A cheeky grin decorated her round face. "I'm jealous,"

"He's still a kid," Chiyo replied, pulling her hood over her head. Her cheeks warmed slowly. "He doesn't know a real hero when he sees one. If he wanted a real hero he would've asked Miruko-san. Or even _you_ Chako-chin, you're way more heroic-"

The brunette just pulled the tiny girl's cheeks.

"Stop being such a pessimist!" The taller girl ordered. She gave the girl a mock frown. "Chiyo-chan, why can't you just accept the fact that you're a real hero too?"

Chiyo blinked at the girl, and processed the words that had just left her mouth. She shook her head, as she looked down at her boots.

 _(I'm a real hero too-)_

A loud scream made her stop in her tracks. The sight she was greeted with made Chiyo's mouth dry.

The building in front of them had been _destroyed_. Smoke exiting from the multiple cracks and wreckage that decorated it.

A harsh flick to her cheek breaks her out of her musings. Red eyes give her an unimpressed look.

"Get that pretty little head of yours out of the clouds," Miruko ordered, her eyes narrowing. "It's time for business,"

The police kept the multiple civilians in the vicinity separated from the ordeal, and Chiyo flapped her wings to get a better look.

A full out brawl was occurring right in the middle of the city.

 _(I thought this internship was supposed to be quiet-)_

"Sonic!" Miruko called out, as she hopped towards the scene. "Use that echolocation of yours to help the authorities locate any other victims. Uravity, assist her!"

Ochako nodded her head, as Chiyo stared at the scene in front of her blankly.

 _(They're fighting to the death-)_

"Sonic!" Miruko called out once more, her voice holding a slight edge to it. "Get your head in the game! I thought you were supposed to be a hero? Heroes don't falter when there are people in need!"

Chiyo stared at Miruko for a moment before she slapped her cheeks.

 _(What is wrong with you-)_

Chiyo closed her eyes, as she strained her ears. Vibrations, the rustling of clothes, skin. Chiyo could hear it all.

 _(One, two, three-)_

"I can't discern an exact number," Chiyo mumbled, pressing a hand to her temple. The police officer next to her, snapped to attention. "But there are about twenty people remaining on the top floor," The officer gritted his teeth at that.

"We won't be able to reach them at this rate-"

"Please," Ochako interrupted firmly, a slight fire in her eyes. She flexed her palms slightly. "Leave that to us,"

The police officer looked ready to protest, but Chiyo paid him no mind. She grabbed Ochako, and flew to the top of the building, where other local heroes were situated.

"Chako," Chiyo said in between breaths. Her heart rate raising slightly "If we're not careful this could go horribly wrong. Like people dying-"

"It won't go wrong," Ochako said firmly, nudging the bottom of Chiyo's chin. "This isn't the time to be such a pessimist Chiyo-chan. We're… we're heroes now,"

Chiyo froze at that, before just nodding her head. She steeled herself, as she was eye level with a young woman.

Snot covered the woman's face, as she wiped at her eyes hurriedly. Chiyo dropped Ochako off onto the floor, as she flew deeper into the building. She could Ochako whispering soothing words to the woman, as she floated her down to the ground.

 _(Not the time to be weak-)_

"Oi! Shrimp!" A portly looking woman called out. Her outfit pointed to her being a fellow hero as well, Chiyo noted, as she flew closer to her. "I need help over here!"

Chiyo adjusted her goggles, as she kneeled down next to the woman.

"The names Cosmo, my hero name that is," The woman informed, as she moved the rubble. "You?"

"Sonic," Chiyo replied quickly. "You know how many people are under here?"

"It leads to a staircase I think," The woman replied. "That's what one of the hostages said at least. Couldn't really understand her to be completely honest," Chiyo just kept staring at the woman, as Cosmo cleared her throat.

"Err… to answer your earlier question, I'm not sure of the exact amount. Between ten to fifteen, I believe,"

Chiyo nodded her head, as she struggled against the rubble. Something clicked in her mind, as she dropped the end of the rock she was holding. Cosmo gave her a look.

"What the hell are ya-"

"Cha-Uravity!" Chiyo called out, catching herself. "Let's switch positions!"

Ochako turned to Chiyo hurriedly, and assessed the situation. She nodded her head firmly, as she worked on getting one more civilian down to the ground safely.

"Be careful," Ochako whispered, as she ran past Chiyo. "The girl on the left has a bad leg,"

Chiyo just nodded, as a girl that couldn't have been older than 6 or 7 stared up at her with watery green eyes. Chiyo smiled softly at her, channeling her inner cashier.

"You're really brave, y'know that," Chiyo whispered, as she gingerly picked the girl up. "All the adults here are crying like babies-"

A man cleared his throat on the side, and Chiyo just sent him a slight glare.

"Excuse me!" He started off, rather pretentiously. He pushed his now broken glasses up his nose. "Do you know who I am little girl?"

Chiyo gave him a blank look, as she adjusted the girl in her arms.

"Am I supposed to?" She replied, as her wings spread out. "I'll come back-"

"You need to take me down now," the man insisted, tugging on Chiyo's boot. "If you do, I promise you'll be compensated-"

 _(Was he serious-)_

"I'd advise you to get your hands off of me," Chiyo stated coolly. The man jumped back, at the intensity of Chiyo's gaze. "This girl is injured, and therefore takes precedence over _your_ entitled ass,"

The man gaped, as Chiyo jumped off the building, child in tow.

The child gasped, and tightened her arms around Chiyo's neck as her wings spread out. Chiyo just grinned in response.

"C'mon, it's not that bad. You can open your eyes," Chiyo informed teasingly. The girl stubbornly kept her eyes shut. "What's your name?"

The girl remained quiet for a few moments, before eventually opening her eyes. Green irises looking at the world around her with so much wonder.

"Hana," She said softly. Chiyo let out a slight laugh as she neared the ground.

"Hana, huh? Sounds kinda prissy if you ask me,"

 _("Hanami, huh? Sounds kinda prissy if you ask me-")_

'Hana' crossed her arms, and the shy persona she had displayed only moments ago had long since disappeared.

"I didn't ask you! Sides, you're just a kid. What would you know?" The girl replied instantly, sticking her nose up.

"I just saved you brat, you should be more grateful," Chiyo replied flicking the girl's forehead. She noticed how the girl was leaning heavily onto one side. "Lemme take you to the paramedics. You shouldn't put too much pressure on that leg,"

Hana stuck her tongue out at Chiyo, but took her hand anyway and allowed the older girl to pick her up.

"I don't need your help," The girl replied. "I'm only taking it cause Auntie says it's rude to refuse help," Chiyo snorted at that, and just shook her head.

"I know, I know. You're too tough to need help," Chiyo replied, dropping the girl off at the medical bay. She gave the girl one last smile. "Get well soon-"

"Sonic," Hana interrupted causing Chiyo to raise an eyebrow. "Is that your name? It's pretty stupid,"

Chiyo's brow twitched at that, as she placed another smile onto her face.

"Well-"

"Thank you Sonic," Hana whispered, as a woman that Chiyo could only assume to be Hana's guardian rushed to the scene. "Thank you,"

Chiyo stared at the girl for a moment, before giving her a big thumbs up. Her cheeks hurt from the size of her grin.

 _(Is this what it felt like to be a hero-)_

All sense of euphoria was dispelled, however, as Chiyo turned back towards the building.

The pretentious man from before was falling. His glasses having fallen off.

She could hear Hana scream at the sight.

Chiyo turned around hurriedly, in search for the other heroes, before a realization struck her.

 _(You're a hero-)_

Chiyo launched herself from the ground, with a speed she didn't know she possessed. Her wings spread out almost instantly.

 _(She never wanted to see another body covered in red-)_

The man was heavy, Chiyo noted, as his weight collided onto her. He was rambling to himself non sequentially, as Chiyo cradled him in her arms. His bloodshot eyes stared up at her, as he bit down on his nails.

"Mother is that you?" he whimpered, pulling himself closer to Chiyo. "They were all so mean to me mother-"

"Sir," Chiyo whispered. "I'm not your mother. Please calm down-"

"You never listen to me," The man hissed, gripping his hands around Chiyo's neck. "You never cared-"

Chiyo stared down at the man, and looked up at the multiple hostages that still needed to be brought down. Her eyes drooped slightly, as she raised her hand in a striking position.

"I'm truly sorry about this sir, but you need to go to sleep," Chiyo whispered. The man just looked at her, his eyes watering.

"Mother, what do you mean-"

Chiyo landed a sharp strike to his neck, and winced when the man went out cold. She felt herself start to shake involuntarily, as she neared the ground. She brought him to the paramedics as well.

 _(Could I have handled that better?)_

"Keep a close eye on him," Chiyo whispered to one of the nurses. "He's fine physically, but I can't say the same for his mental state,"

The male nurse just nodded his head, as he gingerly took the man from Chiyo's grasp. He gave Chiyo a once over.

"You alright?" He questioned. He placed a hand on Chiyo's shoulder. "Don't push yourself-"

"I'm fine," Chiyo insisted. Her wings spread out once more. "We still have a ton of people to bring down, so be prepared,"

The man gave her one last look, before nodding. He went to tend to the other patients.

Chiyo took a deep breath, still slightly shaken from the previous events. She took to the air once more.

Her head turned to the side for a moment, and her breath caught at the sight she was met with.

While two more local heroes granted support, Miruko was going head to head with-

 _("They're making monsters out of us-")_

Chiyo narrowed her eyes, as she clenched her fists slightly. Her lips pressed into a firm line, as she stared grimly at the deformed being in the middle of the city.

 _(Get your head in the game Sonic-)_

Chiyo flew inside the building once more.

* * *

Chiyo stared down at her drink, as Ochako tapped her foot next to her. They were seated side by side, waiting for Miruko to make the final deliberation.

The bunny eared hero-who even with multiple scratches and bruises looked fabulous- just gave them a grin.

"Well," The woman said, as she tied her hair up. "For your first day of real patrol… I'd say you two did just fine,"

Ochako let out a sigh of relief, as Chiyo gripped the drink in her hand. She looked down at the table, before daring to meet Miruko's eyes.

"Miruko-"

"We're off duty,"

"Rumi-san," Chiyo corrected. "That man… the one that jumped. Is he going to be okay?"

The woman's eyes softened at the question, as she went to ruffle Chiyo's hair.

"He… He had previous issues that needed to be dealt with," The woman decided on. She gave Chiyo a reassuring grin. "He's with professionals now,"

Chiyo just nodded her head numbly, as Ochako let out a yawn next to her. Miruko scrunched her nose, as she stretched her arms out.

"Well you two better get your beauty sleep. We're getting up at five o'clock sharp tomorrow," Ochako's jaw dropped at that.

"Still-"

"Is that complaining I hear, Ochako-chan?" Miruko questioned, giving the brunette an eerie grin. Ochako opened her mouth in protest, before closing it abruptly. The girl just shook her head numbly.

"No, Rumi-san," She mumbled, as she rose up from her seat. "G'night,"

Chiyo watched the girl walk into their shared room, and placed her cup down as the door closed with a snap.

"Rumi-san," Chiyo said as she fiddled with her piercings. "That… that thing you were fighting-"

"The noumu," Miruko supplied. "'Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.' Didn't someone say that-"

"What's going to happen to it?" Chiyo questioned, as she ran a hand through her hair. "Is it being researched-"

"Calm down," The woman said softly, placing a hand on the tiny girl's shoulder. "Yes it is. The police are working hard to find out what they can,"

Chiyo frowned at that, as she wrapped her arms around her. Something revolted in her stomach, as she slowly got up.

"The League of Villains," Chiyo whispered, digging her claws into her bicep. "They're producing those things. They're-"

 _("They're making monsters out of us-")_

Chiyo just sighed, as her arms dropped limply to her side. Miruko just patted her head.

"Heroes don't falter," Miruko stated firmly. "The moment you put that costume on, you're _Sonic_. You're _unbreakable_ ,"

Chiyo nodded, as Miruko walked slowly to her room. Her footsteps, careful and measured.

"No matter what, Chiyo," Miruko said, as she opened the door. "Don't let anyone ever break you-"

 _("Don't let them break you Chiyo-")_

"I won't," Chiyo replied firmly. Her eyes burned, as she turned to stare at the woman. Red clashing against red. "I'm… I'm a hero. I won't allow myself to be weak anymore,"

"We all have moments of weakness," The woman countered, causing Chiyo to blink in slight surprise. "It's how we deal with it that makes us who we are. That makes us _heroes_ ,"

Chiyo nodded her head, as a soft smile graced her features.

"Carrying the burden of others," Chiyo mumbled. "Creating a happy society… that's what makes a hero. A _real_ hero. Why All Might is so celebrated," She looked up at Miruko, albeit a bit shyly. "Right?"

The woman let out a booming laugh at that, as she nodded her head.

"I knew you were smart! But… I hate to break it to ya shrimp. That's only one part of it," Chiyo just frowned at that.

"What do you mean-"

"Being a hero," Miruko said softly. "It can't be defined. Not _really_ anyway. It's more of a feeling. The feeling to do _good_. To be _better_. Once you got that…"

Miruko remained silent for a moment, her bunny ears twitching ever so slightly. She placed a hand over her heart, as she eventually granted Chiyo with a pearly white smile.

"Well… once ya got that, the rest is a piece of cake!" The woman said, giving Chiyo a thumbs up. Chiyo just nodded her head. She stared at the faucet-that was still dripping ever so slightly- as she let out a light laugh.

"Rumi-san?"

"Yeah Shrimp?"

 _"Thank you,"_

* * *

AlienQueen: How r the ships going?

Chi: The ships?

AlienQueen: The internships. U kno what I mean.

Chi: not really. Internships and ships are 2 completely different things

AlienQueen: Ur no fun

AlienQueen: Fine how r the _internships_ going

 _Kami-sama has entered the chat_

Kami-sama: What are you guys talking about?

Chi: Internships, and Mina's awful grammar

AlienQueen: _Nerd_

Chi: Using proper grammar doesn't make me a nerd

Kami-sama: Wow you really are a nerd. Who cares about 'grammar' nowadays?

Chi: Any _normal_ human being

 _Han-chan has entered the chat_

Han-chan: Hate to break it to ya, but i think its just u

Chi: Shut up Han-chan

 _Shima has entered the chat_

Shima: Careful Chiyo. Ur startin to sound a lot like Bakugou

 _KingExplosionMurder has entered the chat_

KingExplosionMurder: Why the fuck am i on here?

Kami-sama: Cuz we love you Kacchan. We didn't want you feeling left out

Chi: _KingExplosionMurder?_ And they're calling _me_ a nerd

KingExplosionMurder: U got a problem shrimp?

Chi: What if I do?

KingExplosionMurder: _[A picture of an extended middle finger has been sent]_

Chi: That's just rude

Chi: You're just mad that my internships going better than yours

AlienQueen: Right!

AlienQueen: I saw what happened on TV! Miruko looked so cool!

Chi: She was. She barely even broke a sweat

Han-chan: I heard they were fighting the same thing that attacked us at USJ. U and Uraraka ok?

Chi: Chako's been out like a light ever since we got here. Miruko's been putting us through the wringer with all sorts of workouts.

Shima: Really? Fourth Kind's just making me and TetsuTetsu do community service

Shima: show me some of the workouts once this is all over

Chi: If you think you can handle it, sure

KingExplosionMurder: If u and round face can handle it, then _anyone_ can

Chi: _[A picture of a slender, extended middle finger has been sent]_

KingExplosionMurder: Fuck you

Chi: We're a little young for that, but in a few years I'll definitely consider it

Chi: Love you Baku!

 _KingExplosionMurder has left the chat_

Kami-sama: i miss him already

AlienQueen: me too

AlienQueen: hey chiyo

AlienQueen: Any cute boys at your internship?

 _Kami-sama has left the chat_

 _Han-chan has left the chat_

 _Shima has left the chat_

AlienQueen: oh c'mon u guys!

 _Chi has left the chat_

AlienQueen: u guys suck!

* * *

Chiyo rolled her shoulder, as Miruko stood in front of Ochako and her. The grin the woman sent them was feral.

"Rumi-san," Ochako started off slowly, as she let out a yawn. "What are we doing today?" Miruko just let out a loud laugh.

"You two brats," The woman stated, pointing a finger towards the two. "Will be fighting yours truly!"

Chiyo just shrugged, her wings fluttering as she rose to her full height. Ochako's jaw dropped.

"Eh?" The brunette questioned, as she rubbed the back of her head. "Rumi-san… do you really think that-"

Miruko just raised a hand, causing the brunette's mouth to close with a snap.

"If there's something I've learned over the years," The woman stated, stretching her arms over her head. "I've learned that the best way to teach is hands on!"

"Not _all_ the time-"

"Which is exactly why you guys are gonna come at me! Let me see your weaknesses, and what we need to improve on for myself," Miruko finished, bending her legs slightly. She put her arms in front of her face in a guarding position. She raised an eyebrow at the two girls.

"Well? Are you gonna make me wait all day?"

Chiyo and Ochako shared a look. Ochako slightly apprehensive, while Chiyo was more relaxed.

"Well Chako," Chiyo started off, stretching her arms towards the ceiling. "You ready?"

"Nope," the girl replied honestly with a pop. She let out a nervous laugh. "But… it'll be okay. Not like she can seriously injure us,"

Chiyo just nodded her head as she squatted down, Ochako mirroring her position.

"Well heroes?" Miruko drawled. "Are you just gonna stand there and twiddle your thumbs?"

Chiyo narrowed her eyes, as she sent Ochako one last look. To the tiny girl's surprise, Ochako just grinned.

With one last moment of silence, the two individuals charged.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 23! A decent amount of action happened this chapter, and I hope you guys enjoyed that! I want to thank all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed this chapter. I greatly appreciate it. Next chapter we'll get close to wrapping up the internship arc. By chapter 25 we should be somewhat done. After this arc, however, I plan to have a few breather chapters before the final exams. We'll still have UA and class 1-A of course, but we'll also be introduced to a few OCs. OCs that will be important down the line.

Things you Guys said:

 **Chiyo is such an intriguing and realistic character. The past can not be easily forgotten and panic attacks are awful but to see her try and become stronger, it's admirable. I admit that I like all the proposed pairings but I have a weakness for Chirio!** Thank you so much! I try my best to make Chiyo as realistic as I can, and I hope you continue to enjoy her character. Chirio seems to be a fan favorite. Sadly, I probably won't put up the poll until the provisional license arc. I really want to establish relationship dynamics first.

 **But Chi... you've always been a Hero. Hinami was that Hero who saved you. A hero isn't always flashy or well known. A hero is someone who saves people, and Hinami saved you- you saved the others.** This is an aspect of Chiyo that I've always found entertaining to write. Even though she hated heroes for so long, she couldn't help but become one herself. Partially because of Hanami and Toga, and partially because she feels it's the right thing to do.

 **...I feel so bad for Chi when she sees Toga again. On the flipside, I ship Chi with Todoroki. Also, Izuku, because they could be precious cinnamon rolls together. Cinnamon Rolls for the win!** Choroki(Chiyo x Todoroki) and Chiyo x Izuku(Still need a ship name) have been rising in popularity too. When Toga and Chiyo meet again… it'll definitely be interesting to say the least. I won't give too much away right now, however. A lot of you guys have been excited for the Chiyo x Toga reunion. I hope I can deliver.

 **Here's a note. 'Nee' is used to address elder sister. 'Nii' is used to address elder brother. It's been nineteen chapters, and I'm pretty sure Akito's a man.** Thank you for the note! I was just so used to writing 'nee' for Asami, that I forgot to change it for Akito.

 **I have, for some inexplicable reason, hopped on the train that is Chiyo X Mirio.** You are not alone.

 **Yeah, I really like this fic. I would definitely put it up in the ranks with "Of Heroes, Blood, and Boba" just because of the effort put in to make the relations, interactions, and plot content realistic (as much as it can be in an anime) and believable.** "Of Heroes, Blood, and Boba" is a personal favorite of mine. To have Meraki compared to it is a huge compliment. Thank you for reading!

 **I get why Shinsou feels that's way. It must hurt. I don't get why Chiyo is suddenly competing with the others though? It seems not like her.** You're right. Being competitive isn't like Chiyo. But being in UA urges Chiyo to work harder and do better for herself. Not just for her, but for the people who died in the lab.

 **Why does Hiroto use kun at the end of Sayaka's name?** "Kun" isn't just used for males. It's also used for people that are of a lower standing, or younger. Iida uses "Kun" as well when it comes to addressing the female students as well as males. Hiroto can be a bit uptight at times, especially when he's first introduced. That's why he resorts to using "Kun".

 **Amazing chapter, nice to know that no matter how much time passes she will always love her friends which makes me scared and happy for the eventual reunion with the cry baby** Like I said, I hope I can deliver when it comes to the Chiyo x Toga reunion.

 **Are you planning to add Shinsou to one of the hero classes soon and will you leave Mineta in Class 1-A?** We'll just have to wait and see…

 **I found this story by pure chance and was really surprised by it. Normally I don't like stories like these that start out with abuse/torture, mostly because for whatever reason people tend to write that their characters just bounce right back from it, which I find both trivializing and unrealistic, that or it gets to caught up in the angst and I lose the plot of the story entirely. I feel like you've done a really great job here, of creating a realistic character who while struggling with her past is doing her best to heal. It's a story that definitely tugs at your heartstrings and makes you empathize (I actually teared up once or twice which doesn't usually happen, so good job!)!** Thank you for reading! I hope you continue to enjoy this story, and I hope Chiyo's struggles and personal growth remain realistic. I hate when stories just brush off traumatic events, and I didn't want to do that in the case of Chiyo.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What are some things you guys would like to see?

How do you feel about Chiyo's costume changes? They're not too major right now, but they'll increase down the line.

Any questions for me?

 _P.S. I love your reviews, so don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

A _dachi stood in front of them. His white lab coat had been shed, and replaced with a black bodysuit._

 _He took his glasses off, and granted them what Chiyo supposed was meant to be a comforting smile._

 _Toga gripped Chiyo's hand. The taller, usually animated girl, remained as quiet as a mouse as Adachi's eyes roamed over them. Chiyo just squeezed back._

 _Hanami hadn't been chosen for this particular test. The pink haired girl had instead been given a 'day off' of sorts. A reward for the girl's obedience._

 _Chiyo scoffed at the thought. A 'day off' from this hell couldn't even be counted as a reward. It was disgusting-_

 _"Ryuuga-kun," Adachi started off smoothly, causing the red haired boy to bristle. "Come up here please,"_

 _The boy narrowed his eyes as he squared his shoulders. He slowly made his way in front of the man. Guards stood by the doors, looking as menacing as ever Chiyo noted. They clutched their weapons tightly, like the mindless sycophants they were. What human people would willingly follow someone like-_

 _(Who was she to judge? They had all lost their sense of humanity. Their sense of self-)_

 _"To better enhance your training," Adachi started off slowly, stretching his arms towards the sky. "I'm going to teach you all something very important. Something that won't be easily mastered. But… when it is mastered will serve you well,"_

 _(Why did he care about what would 'serve them well'? He was planning to kill them anyway-)_

 _His green eyes glinted, as he got into a fighting stance. Ryuuga-who almost reached his height-mirrored his every action. The careful, genial, smile on Adachi's face turned feral._

 _"Listen closely to what I'm about to teach you,"_

* * *

 ** _("Hold your breath, clear your mind,")_**

* * *

Ochako attacked first.

The brunette was sloppy, Chiyo noted, as she observed the two exchange blows. Desperation in her every move. A fire was lit in her eyes, however. It burned brightly, and Chiyo almost wanted to wince at the intensity of it.

A smile graced her features, as she got into an attacking position.

 _(You're kinda cool Chako-chin-)_

Chiyo locked her eyes onto Miruko. It was almost as if the bunny was humoring her classmate. Easily deflecting whatever blow Ochako tried to land.

Chiyo narrowed her eyes at that.

 _("Hold your breath, clear your mind,")_

It was a strange feeling, Chiyo would recall later on. Or rather, it couldn't be classified as a _feeling_ at all.

Everything blanked. Her sense of touch, sense of feeling. There was _nothing_.

There was nothing and yet… she had never felt more powerful.

 _("This will serve you well,")_

Her hand was pressed to Miruko's neck, as she appeared in back of the woman. Her breathing slightly erratic. She could feel the woman tense in front of her.

Pain erupted in her abdomen, as Miruko kicked her away.

 _(What was that-)_

The grin Miruko gifted her with lacked its usual ferocity. Her red eyes held a certain amount of wariness in them.

"I have to say shrimp," The woman started, as she dusted herself off. "Didn't think you'd be the one to land a decent hit,"

"That was amazing, Chiyo-chan!" Ochako called out, moving closer to the girl. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I didn't even see ya! It was like you just _vanished_ ,"

Chiyo didn't answer. She instead looked down at her hand, sweat dripping down her brow as she struggled to keep her breathing in check.

 _(Green eyes filled with so much hate-She never wanted to be like him-)_

Chiyo clenched her fists, as she shakily got up. Her eyes were trained on her feet, as she hurriedly walked out of the room. Her wings twitched minutely, as she closed the door behind her.

She let out a deep breath, as she pressed her back to the cool wall.

 _("Hold your breath, clear your mind,")_

It always came back at the worst times, Chiyo noted, as she pressed a hand to her head. She clenched and unclenched her fist.

It was all trickling back, she realized, as she walked into the kitchen. She had blocked it out for so long and yet-

 _(Green eyes stared down at her menacingly-)_

She looked down at her hands. The scar that decorated her wrist. The daintiness of her fingers.

She looked into the glass plate she had washed that morning, only to see a delicate girl staring back at her.

 _("You're so small and fragile-")_

"Chiyo-chan,"

Chiyo's head snapped up at that, as she turned to the side. Ochako looked at her hesitantly.

 _(Don't look at me like that-)_

Chiyo plastered a smile onto her face.

"Sorry about running out like that," She replied cheerily, putting an extra bounce into her step. "Tell the bunny I'll be back soon-"

"Are you okay?"

Chiyo froze at those words, as she looked at the brunette once more. Her eyes didn't hold any fear, Chiyo realized as the girl moved closer to her. Just genuine worry.

 _(Always so quick to judge-)_

Chiyo looked down at her feet for a moment, before staring at Ochako once more. The smile she had so carefully pasted onto her face had turned bittersweet.

"I'm fine Chako-chin," Chiyo said softly, as she let out a slight laugh. "Sorry for shutting down on ya. It… It happens sometimes,"

The brunette just nodded, as she seemed to struggle with what to do next. Eventually, Ochako placed a hand onto Chiyo's shoulder. Her gaze was resolute.

"I know we've only known each other for a few months," Ochako started off slowly, her gaze slightly lowered. "But… I think of you as my friend,"

Chiyo opened her mouth, and closed it once she saw the look on the other girl's face. The words she had meant to say died in her throat as quickly as they came.

 _(I think of you as a friend too-)_

"Truth be told, I didn't think I'd like you when we first met," Ochako informed, as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "You seemed like you'd be really stuck up and prissy. Yaomomo too,"

Chiyo snorted at that, as she carefully wiped her brow. Ochako pouted at the interruption.

"It's true! You both seemed so talented, and you were both recommended-"

"Chako," Chiyo replied, as she pulled the other girl's cheeks. " _Stop it._ Compared to Yao and To-chin, I'm not-"

"You're amazing!" The girl protested, her words slightly muffled. Her brown eyes seemed to brighten. "You always know what you're doing in class. You do amazing in the training exercises-"

"Chako," Chiyo said firmly, slightly flabbergasted. She wrung her hands together rather nervously. "I'm a complete _mess_ -"

"So?' The girl replied, grabbing Chiyo's shoulders. "You're still one of the coolest people I know. That's including Deku,"

Chiyo just stared at the brunette, her throat dry as she figured out the best course of action to take.

 _("You think too much-")_

A laugh bubbled in the girl's throat, as she placed a hand over her mouth. Her shoulders shook as Ochako gave her a rather worried look.

"Chiyo-chan? Are you OK- _ack_!"

Chiyo just grinned, as she engulfed the taller girl in a hug.

 _("Friends make things easier-")_

* * *

She sat at the kitchen table, as Miruko paced in front of her. Eventually the bunny eared woman let out a sigh, and sat down across from Chiyo with a thump.

"What happened back there?" The woman asked, not unkindly.

Chiyo fiddled with her piercings for a moment, as she avoided the other woman's gaze. She struggled to find the right words.

 _(There's something wrong with me-)_

She focused on the drip of the faucet, before meeting Miruko's gaze once more.

"My mind blanked," Chiyo eventually admitted, as she placed her head in her hands. "It… It doesn't happen often, but when it does-"

"You feel like you're losing yourself," Miruko mumbled. Chiyo blinked in slight surprise at that, before slowly nodding her head. The bunny eared woman ran a hand over her face, before giving Chiyo a look.

"How do you deal with it?' The woman asked softly. Chiyo froze at that, as she felt her palms start to become clammy. She didn't falter under the woman's expectant gaze, however.

"I used to see a therapist," Chiyo admitted, her cheeks warming as she bowed her head. Her stomach flopped, as feelings of shame overwhelmed her. "I… I just take medication now,"

Miruko hummed at that, as Chiyo stared at her apprehensively. The tiny girl cleared her throat, as she sat up slightly straighter.

"Rumi-san," Chiyo stated firmly, placing a hand over her chest. "What happened today… that won't happen again. I won't-"

Miruko got up abruptly, causing Chiyo to do a double take. The woman quickly walked out of the room.

Chiyo stared at the place the woman had just been sitting, in slight confusion, as she too got up. She jumped, as the door flew open once more. Miruko stared at her for a few moments, before holding up a similar bottle to the one Chiyo had packed in her suitcase. In her bathroom cabinet at home.

It wasn't anger that had run rampant through the woman's eyes, Chiyo was beginning to understand. It had been _empathy_.

Miruko sighed, as she placed the medication bottle down onto the table. She granted Chiyo a wry grin.

"You think you're the only one?" Miruko replied, as she took a seat once more. She let out a sardonic laugh. Chiyo kept staring at the bottle, her eyes widening, as she slowly shook her head.

"I… Rumi-san-"

"Being a hero isn't a walk in the park," Miruko replied, causing Chiyo's mouth to close with a snap. "It nags at you. All the mistakes you made. What you could've done or should've done," The woman froze for a moment, as she locked eyes with Chiyo. Her next words resonated with the girl.

 _"All the people you couldn't save,"_

Chiyo felt her throat close up, as she nodded her head. She drummed her fingernails onto the table.

"You always seemed so strong-"

"We all have moments of weakness," The woman repeated, plastering a smile onto her face. "It's how we deal with it that makes us heroes,"

Chiyo nodded, as Miruko let out another sigh.

"Shrimp… that technique you used-"

"I won't use it again," Chiyo replied vehemently. Her nails dug into her palms. "I promise I-"

"Why not?" Miruko questioned, causing Chiyo to freeze. The bunny eared woman hummed as she drummed her fingernails onto the table. Her red eyes seemed to twinkle.

"I mean, it's not good enough to beat _me,_ " She proclaimed, placing a hand to her chest. "But, it'll definitely give you an edge-"

"Miruko-san," Chiyo interrupted, her mouth suddenly dry. "I… I can't use it because-"

 _(Green eyes filled with so much hate.-"This will serve you well-")_

Chiyo's mouth closes with a snap, as she stares down at her feet. She taps her left foot against the ground, in hopes of drowning out everything else-

"It's an assassination technique," She feels her body go cold at that.

Her eyes widen as she places her hand against the table. She can feel herself start to shake ever so slightly.

"Rumi-san," Chiyo starts off hurriedly. "I-I didn't mean to-"

Miruko just holds up a hand, and gives Chiyo the same comforting grin.

"It's an assassination technique," Miruko starts off. "But it doesn't have to be used that way,"

Her heart beat slows, as she realizes the woman isn't angry at her. But rather… proud.

"I'm not gonna asked where you learned it," She states, sticking a pinky into her ear. The words ' _I already know_ ' travel between the two. "But… it isn't all bad. For a few seconds I wasn't able to detect where you were. You shouldn't count it out,"

Chiyo stared at the woman for a few moments, before just nodding her head slowly. Red eyes glance upwards at Miruko once more.

"Rumi-san," Chiyo starts off slowly. "How… how do you know-"

"Being a pro isn't a walk in the park," Miruko informs the girl once more. "Once you and Pink Cheeks make it, you'll end up seeing a lot of things too,"

A part of Chiyo wants to ask more. To know what else the woman could have possibly seen. The look in Miruko's eyes deters her, however.

Chiyo bows her head once more.

"I apologize, Rumi-san," Chiyo says earnestly, bowing her head. "For any trouble I've caused you,"

Miruko just rolls her eyes.

"This is why I don't do internships," The woman mumbled. She fixed Chiyo with an annoyed look, as she patted the tiny girl's head. "Bird-brain was right, you _are_ a handful," Chiyo's head snapped up at that.

"Takahiro-"

"You can come out now, Pink Cheeks!" The woman yelled, causing Chiyo to raise her head up in shock. The door opened slightly, and Ochako peeked out from it with a sheepish look on her face.

"I.. I just-"

"You were being nosy," Miruko stated bluntly, causing Ochako's cheeks to redden. "But.. it's okay," her gaze turned to Chiyo.

"You're classmates. Comrades. You need to be able to trust her," Miruko informed, stretching her hands to the ceiling. Chiyo nodded as she locked eyes with Ochako. The brunette just gave Chiyo a comforting smile.

Miruko jumped out of her seat, and gave the two teens a feral grin.

"Good! Now that that's out of the way," The woman started off looking immensely relieved. "Back to training!"

Chiyo and Ochako shared a look, before letting out slight laughs.

* * *

Ochako and Chiyo slid to the ground, multiple matching bruises coating their skin. Miruko cracked her knuckles, before stretching out her legs. She barely concealed a laugh.

"Wow, that was pathetic!" The woman boomed, her signature grin carefully in place. Chiyo scowled at that, as Ochako just hit the ground. The brunette brushed her bangs out of her face, as Chiyo rose to her feet. Miruko fixed the two with a look.

"Pink Cheeks!" Ochako jumped at the address. "You're too predictable! Your movements were slow and sloppy,"

Ochako's head dropped at that, as she murmured a sound of confirmation. Chiyo patted the girl on the back, and barely held back a wince, as the woman's intense gaze landed on her.

"Shrimp! Add some variety for goodness sake. Your movements were more precise, but you were so glaringly obvious," Miruko flipped her hair back, as she fixed the two with another look. "You were both trying to match my movements, but you don't have a style of your own,"

Chiyo blinked at that, as she mulled over the feedback.

It was true, she began to realize, as she pushed herself up. Even when sparring with Mirio, the upperclassmen had said much of the same thing.

(Blonde hair-The same stupid smile in place-"Stop trying to imitate me. Be original-")

"How do we fix it?" Chiyo questioned, as she rubbed her nose. "It's not easy to just come up with-"

"Not done shrimp," Miruko replied, grounding her fist into the top of Chiyo's head. "Listen when your elders are talking,"

Chiyo just scowled, as she rubbed her head.

"How knowledgeable are you brats with MMA?" The woman questioned, a fierce grin overtaking her features. Chiyo just shrugged, while Ochako's eyes seemed to brighten.

"I love it!" The brunette replied, all previous exhaustion forgotten as she proceeded to bounce up and down. "Are we learning that?"

Miruko nodded her head, as Ochako let out a cheer. Chiyo just raised both of her eyebrows.

"Rumi-san," She started off slowly. "Are you sure that's the right style for us?" Miruko just waved a hand at the girl.

"It's perfect!" The woman replied. "It's rough, and it's a good baseline to start with-"

"But-"

"Look," Miruko replied, uncharacteristically serious. "Your fights at the Sport's Festival were hot-blooded, that's why I extended offers to you two," The girls perked up at that.

"But they were also sloppy," The woman replied bluntly, crimson eyes narrowing. "You both seem to have a good grasp on your quirks, but not so much when it comes down to a physical fight. MMA is a mixture of different styles. It's not that hard to pick up, and it'll help you to eventually build up something more," The woman froze for a moment, before giving Chiyo a look.

"Is that alright with you, Shrimp?"

Chiyo locked eyes with Miruko for a moment, before just nodding her head.

 _("Take these internships, and learn from them-")_

"Of course, Rumi-san,"

* * *

Ochako let out a sigh of relief, as her head hit the pillow. Chiyo laughed at the sight.

"C'mon, Chako-chin," The girl stated, tugging on the girl's sleeve. "We still got more exercises-"

"No more," Ochako groaned, covering her head. "My bruises have bruises!"

Chiyo let go of the girl's sleeve, and plopped down next to her. She let out a hum of agreement.

"The bunny is really tough," She stated, brushing her hair back. Her features shifted into a grin as she stretched her arms towards the ceiling. "But… it's kinda fun! I can see that you're getting stronger too,"

The brunette froze at that, as she granted Chiyo a blank look.

"Really?" Ochako said softly. Chiyo just nodded her head, as she pumped her fist.

"You're gonna give Baku a run for his money! Between me and you, he needs to be knocked down a few pegs," Chiyo stated. Ochako chuckled at that, before a softer smile overtook her face.

"Chiyo-chan," The brunette started off slowly. Her usually vibrant voice barely above a whisper. _"Thank you,_ " Chiyo just blinked in confusion at that, before letting out a slight laugh.

"What are you thanking me for? I'm just stating facts,"

Soft snores eventually caught Chiyo's attention. The tiny girl turned to the side, and was surprised to see the girl hugging her pillow for dear life.

Chiyo rolled her eyes at the sight, but went to retrieve the brunette's blanket.

"People say I'm a handful," Chiyo mumbled fondly. Feelings of warmth settled in the girl's stomach, as she covered the brunette.

She moved over to her own sleeping place, and granted the girl one last smile.

"Night, Chako," She mumbled, as she too drifted off.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 24! I want to thank everyone that favorited, followed, and reviewed the last chapter. I greatly appreciate it. In regards to the technique Chiyo used this chapter, I want to explain it a bit more. During the Prov. License exam, Toga used a technique to erase her presence while she was interacting with Izuku. In this fanfic, Toga learned that technique in the lab, along with a few other lab rats. Chiyo being one of them. On another note, I've finally posted a poll for who Chiyo should be paired with, so be sure to check that out!

Things you guys said:

 **Is one of the OCs Chiyo's biological father?** Chiyo's father will come in at some point(Way way down the line) but not just yet.

 **How involved is Chiyo going to be in the Eri arc? I'm imagining that if she knew about her she would be defensive of young Eri cause they were/are in similar situations. I'm also now joining the Chiyo x Mirio train btw** This breaches into spoiler category, but Chiyo and Eri will have a close relationship when the time comes. I posted the poll, so if you're shipping Chirio, be sure to vote for Mirio!

 **AHHH! MY HEART! THAT CHIRIO MOMENT WAS EVERYTHING I SHIP IT WITH MY VERY BEING** Chirio's really turning into a fan favorite. Be sure to vote in the poll!

 **This story is one of my favorites. Chiyo is a gem of a character and the supporting cast work well to push her on as well as explore her own shortcomings. It was great to have her draw her own conclusions about heroes and how that affected her and her friends.** Thank you so much for the compliment! I'm glad Chiyo's turned into such a likable character. I hope you continue to enjoy Chiyo, and Meraki as a whole!

Questions:

Any questions for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter._

 _P.P.S. I love your reviews, so don't forget to leave one!_


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _"What would your hero name be, Chiyo-chan?"_

 _The aforementioned girl scowled at the question, as she rubbed her nose. She pushed her bangs out of her face, glancing over at her two companions. Her lips pursed slightly._

 _"I have no intention of becoming a-"_

 _"Yeah, yeah," Hanami had waved off, grey eyes twinkling. Her signature smile came over her face once more. "If you had to choose one, what would it be?"_

 _Chiyo rolled her eyes, as she stared up at the ceiling. Her brow furrowed in contemplation for a few moments, as she crossed her arms. Eventually, she let out a sigh._

 _"Sonic," The grey-skinned girl grit out, tapping her nails against the hard floor. Toga giggled at that, causing Chiyo to sprout up. She gave the blonde girl a look._

 _"Got a problem, crybaby?" Chiyo sneered. Toga just puffed out her chest._

 _"Sonic? That's the lamest name I've ever heard," The blonde replied, sticking her nose up in the air. Chiyo just scoffed, as she went to lie down once more._

 _"Well no one **asked** you-"_

 _"Chiyo-chan?" Hanami said once more, poking the tinier girl's cheek. Curiosity running rampant in the girl's eyes. "Why 'Sonic'?"_

 _Chiyo clenched her fist, before unclenching them at the genuine curiosity on the girl's face. She pushed herself up to the girl's eye level._

 _"I've no intention of being a hero," Chiyo repeated, her voice laced with disdain. She crossed her arms, as something flashed through her ruby red eyes. "But… if I had to choose, then Sonic is just fine. I like the sound of it," Toga snorted at that once more, and gave Chiyo a condescending grin._

 _"Yeah, it's just as lame as you are-"_

 _"I'll kick your ass crybaby-"_

 _Grey eyes flitted back and forth, as the two girls verbally went at it. A soft smile overtook her features, as she brushed her hair out of her face._

 _She didn't miss the way Chiyo's eyes would light up, or the slight smile that would appear on Himiko's face. It was as if yelling at each other made them happier._

 _Hanami jumped slightly, as Chiyo's eyes landed on her once more. The girl pointed a finger towards her, as her lips set into a firm line._

 _"Genesis," Hanami just blinked at that._

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Genesis. It means origin, or beginning," Chiyo explained, her face warming up. "If you wanna be a hero… then that's a new beginning in your life. Away from all of this,"_

 _A rare smile took over Chiyo's features, as she met Hanami's gaze once more. Her red eyes crinkled slightly._

 _"I think… that should be your hero name," The tiny girl said softly, pulling her knees to her chest. A quiet sort of acceptance entered the girl's eyes. "When you get out of here, it'll be a new beginning for you-"_

 _"When we all get out of here," Hanami said firmly, grabbing Chiyo and Himiko's hands. "We're gonna travel the world, remember?"_

 _Chiyo shook her head slowly at that, and pressed her lips into a firm line. She gave the other two a bittersweet smile._

 _"It's just a feeling, but… I think this is my last stop-"_

 ** _Thwack!_**

 _The surrounding children quieted down, as Toga dug her fist into Chiyo's cheek. The girl whipped back from the force of the blow._

 _Red eyes widened, as she pressed a hand to her cheek. She turned to the side, only to see Himiko glaring down at her. Yellow eyes narrowed in pure annoyance. Hanami's jaw dropped, as she stared at the girl._

 _"Himi-chan-"_

 _"You-Don't even-" The girl tugged at the ends of her hair, as she let out noises of frustration. She eventually turned to Chiyo once more, and grabbed the girl by the scruff of her shirt._

 _"You said you were gonna buy me an ice cream cone," Himiko eventually let out, as she clenched her fists. "You promised-"_

 _"It's not up to me, Toga," Chiyo bit out, narrowing her eyes. "I don't-I used to always think about getting out of here. I dreamt of it every night. But now I can't-"_

 _Himiko's grip tightened on the girl's shirt, as she shook her head._

 _"Who cares about any of that! You **promised-** "_

 _"Promises aren't always able to be kept," Chiyo replied heatedly. "It's out of my control,"_

 _Himiko's grip tightened, as she raised her fist._

 _"You-"_

 _"Himi-chan," Hanami said softly, pulling her knees to her chest. "Stop it, please," Himiko's eyes widened at that, as she lowered her hand._

 _"Nami-"_

 _"Chiyo-chan's right. Tomorrow isn't promised," Hanami said firmly, as she stared up at the ceiling. Eventually her gaze lowered, as she looked towards the other two. Her smile was quiet, fierce. "Which is why we have to make the best of the time we do have. We shouldn't spend it being sad. We should be happy. So if we do die, then our lives wouldn't have been wasted,"_

 _The pink haired girl stared down at her hands for a few moments, her brows furrowed as she seemed to contemplate something._

 _"If I do die," Hanami said softly, raising her head. "I want to die happy. With happy memories, and happy feelings,"_

 _Her signature grin returned, as she brought Himiko and Chiyo into a tight hug._

 _"If I die… I want you guys to promise that you won't be sad. That you'll still dream about leaving here. That-"_

 _"Pinky," Chiyo replied softly, her cheek still throbbing slightly. "You don't have to worry about that," Hanami blinked owlishly._

 _"Huh?"_

 _Chiyo cleared her throat, as she stared down at her feet, eventually she let out a tired sigh as she raised her head once more._

 _"You're the kind of person that's gonna live forever. That's a promise I can keep,"_

 _Hanami froze at that, a myriad of emotions that Chiyo couldn't quite track running amok on her face. The pinkette eventually let out a nervous laugh, as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly._

 _Her smile reminded Chiyo of a warm sunset._

 _"I'll take your word for it,"_

* * *

 ** _("You're the type of person that's gonna live forever-")_**

* * *

"Are you lost sweetheart?"

The girl just grinned, tugging on the skirt of her uniform. Her eyes flit over the man's form, and she takes note of the slight bulge in his back pocket. The way his hands keep inching towards it.

"Nope! I'm meeting a friend," She replied chirpily, bouncing on the heel of her feet. Her hair had been pulled into buns, bangs slightly messy, further cementing the cover she had chosen.

A cute, innocent, high school girl.

"A friend, huh? Aren't you a little young to be in a place like _this_?" The man replied, waving a hand around the area. The place was rather rundown, she noted, as she crossed her arms. The smell of alcohol filling the alleyway they were currently inhabiting. Shady individuals littered the region, granting her leering looks.

The girl just grinned cheekily.

"It's not nice to ask a girl their age, y'know?" Her eyes darkened, as she reached towards her waist. She moved closer to the man, and grazed his bicep. "You're kinda cute, actually,"

The man turned slightly red, as he pushed away from her. Beads of sweat dripped down his brow, as he laughed nervously.

"I'm a married man-"

In an instant, a knife was pressed to the man's neck. It left a thin trail of red, as the man's eyes widened even further.

"But you wanna know a secret?" She whispered, as she tightened her grip. The man's face turned white, as she sunk her claws into his wrist. "You'd look even cuter covered in _**blood**_ -"

"Toga-chan~"

The girl froze for a moment, before the same unrestrained grin took over her face. She pushed the man away from her, and waved happily.

"Run along, sweetheart," She repeated, as a slight giggle bubbled in her throat. "Tell your wife I said hi!"

The man didn't need to be told twice. Yellow eyes narrowed, as she watched his retreating back. She turned around slowly, and pushed back a scowl at the sight of the familiar face.

"Giran~' She chirped, as she skipped closer to his person. She grabbed onto his arm, and pressed a knife to his rib cage. Her body pressed close to his. Her voice took on a lower baritone. "You were supposed to be here ages ago,"

The man just laughed lightly.

"Don't be like that, Toga-chan! I've brought good news," He promised. He pulled his glasses down as he looked at the girl. "Hear me out, okay?"

Toga just clenched her fists, before looking off to the side. The air was cool and crisp as it fluttered against her cheeks. She pocketed her knife, before giving the man one last look.

"I'll kill you if you're wasting my time," She replied bluntly. Giran let out a booming laugh at that.

"Always great company, Toga-chan!" he stated, as they walked through the alleyways. "But… I think you'll like what I have to say,"

Toga nodded, as she looked back into the alleyway. Her fingers itched to-

 _(They all deserved to pay. They all deserve to suffer-)_

"Don't worry, you can have your fun later," Giran said smoothly, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "They're not too important. Just some random thugs,"

Toga giggled once more, as she just nodded her head.

 _(So much blood-It engulfed her-)_

"What did you want, Giran-chan?" Toga chirped, skipping alongside him. The man pushed his glasses up his nose, as he placed a cigarette between his lips. Toga scrunched her nose at the rather putrid smell.

"I have some… associates, I'd like you to meet," The man took a puff of his cigarette. Toga watched in slight fascination as he blew out a ring of smoke. "I think you'll get along,"

Toga remained silent, as they walked through the streets. She raised her head at the sight of three children chasing each other through the streets.

Her and Giran had met on the poorer side of town. The three girls wore clothing that hinted their financial situation was less than desirable. Even so, they looked… happy. The shorter of the three looked back at one of the girls in the back, a challenging smirk on her face.

"You're too slow Izumi!"

 _(Warm grey eyes-A challenging smile-"Keep up if you can, crybaby-")_

Her grip tightened on Giran's arm, as she looked away from the sight.

"What did you need, Giran-chan?" The blonde questioned, her voice light. The man just chuckled, as he carefully put out his cigar. It made a sizzling sound as he grounded it with his foot. His eyes sharpened, as he granted Toga with a sleazy grin.

"What are your thoughts on the League of Villains?"

* * *

"Are you ever going to get that fixed?"

Miruko grinned lazily, as the kitchen faucet continued to drip ever so slightly. Her bunny ears twitched, as she chugged a cup of carrot juice.

"I like it! It gives the place character," The woman declared. A look of nostalgia entered the woman's eyes. "It's been like that ever since I moved in. I don't see a reason to change it now,"

"It's annoying,"

" _You're_ annoying,"

Chiyo scowled petulantly, but didn't deny the accusation. She stared out the window, and moved her fingers in fluid motions over the table top. Eventually she turned her gaze back towards Miruko.

"It's the last day," Chiyo replied, swirling her cup around. Miruko snorted, as she placed her head in her hands.

" _Really?_ I had _no_ idea-"

"Can I text you once in a while?" Chiyo blurted out. She averted her gaze, as she fiddled with her piercings. "I just-only if you _want_ to-"

"You can text me shrimp," Miruko replied, a warm smile gracing her features. "You and Pink Cheeks both. I'll be watching you so do try and make a name for yourselves. It'd be disappointing if you didn't,"

Chiyo smiled shyly, as she ducked her head.

"I won't let you down," Chiyo replied resolutely. "I promise,"

Miruko snorted at that, and patted Chiyo's head as she walked by.

The smile she granted Chiyo with was warm, however. It was welcoming and-

 _(Nadeshiko had used to smile at her like that-)_

Her stomach clenched slightly, as she gripped her cup. She set her eyes on Miruko and narrowed her eyes. Miruko just placed a hand on her hip.

"What's wrong Shrimp? Itching for a fight on your last day-"

Chiyo didn't let the woman finish, and proceeded to bodily tackle her to the ground.

"What the _hell_ -"

"It's a hug Rumi-san," Chiyo stated as she tightened her hold on the woman. "I know these aren't your thing, but me, you, and Chako are gonna be doing a lot of these from now on,"

Miruko scowled, as she placed a hand over her face.

"Damn brat," She muttered, cheeks turning red. "Pink cheeks would never-"

"Group hug!"

Brown hair was swept into Chiyo's face, as Ochako joined them on the ground. She grinned cheekily, eyes covered with the remnants of a long sleep, before a blank look appeared on her face.

"Wait, why are we doing this?" The brunette questioned, as she let out a yawn. She didn't lessen her hold on the bunny hero, however.

"It's our last day Chako," Chiyo replied, blowing the brunette's hair out of her face. "Rumi-san said she was gonna miss us,"

"Why the hell would I miss _you_ -"

"You're not pushing us off," Ochako realized, as she peeked up at the older woman. "You're enjoying this aren't ya?"

Miruko glared at the two, before covering her face with her hands. Chiyo didn't miss the reddish tint of her cheeks.

"I'm never doing this intern thing again," The woman mumbled as she eventually returned the hug. "Worst interns ever,"

"You love us," The two girls replied in unison.

Miruko just remained silent, as the faucet continued to drip in the background.

* * *

"Hey Chako, do you have Deku's number?"

The brunette's eyes widened, as she turned her head to the side. The rumble of the train filled the background.

Their parting with Miruko hadn't felt like a goodbye. It had felt more like a new beginning. The woman had been tough, but they had learned more than they could even imagine.

The woman had earned herself a place in Chiyo's heart.

Ochako hummed as she took out her phone. It was of a slightly cheaper brand, Chiyo noted, but she didn't comment on it.

"Here it is!" She said chirpily, before her brow creased. Her countenance seemed to dim slightly. "I was really surprised about what happened in Hosu,"

Chiyo hummed, as she copied the number into her phone.

"You, Deku, and Iida are pretty close aren't ya?" Chiyo questioned, as she sent her new contact a quick text. She nudged the taller girl's arm, as she placed a cheeky grin onto her face. "Got a crush on any of them?"

Ochako sputtered, as she shook her head hurriedly. Chiyo just placed her hands up in a placating manner.

"Just joking," She pocketed her phone, as she looked at the brunette once more. "Sorry about that, Mina's rubbing off on me,"

Ochako nodded, although a red tint still colored her cheeks. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"They're just friends," Ochako replied resolutely, eyes burning fiercely. She pumped her fist as she turned to Chiyo. "Sides, if we wanna be pros we can't be focused on relationships. Take Rumi-san for example!" Chiyo hummed in reply.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure the bunny just fucks and chucks whoever she finds attractive. Hawks too-"

"Chiyo-chan!" Ochako replied, pale face burning a bright red. "Ya can't just say things like that-"

"Am I wrong?" Chiyo questioned, pushing her sunglasses up her nose. "Rumi-san has the right idea if ya ask me. Relationships are a hassle,"

Kino-the traitor-had used to share her sentiments. But now the elder girl spent almost all the free time she had with her boyfriend. 'Natsuki' or something.

Ochako placed her cell phone back into her bag, before shaking her head slowly.

"I don't… _mind_ the idea of a relationship," Ochako said slowly, as she scratched her cheek. "I think it's a nice idea. Something like what my Ma and Pa have,"

"Oh?" Chiyo prompted. "What's that?"

"Someone who challenges you, pushes you to be better. Someone you can count on," She pressed a finger to her chin, in a manner very similar to Tsuyu. "They'd have to be financially stable too," Chiyo whistled at the description.

"Damn Chako, you've got it all planned out," She let out, as she looked out the train window. She counted the buildings they passed.

"What about you Chiyo-chan?"

Chiyo blinked slowly, before turning her head towards the brunette. She pointed a finger towards herself.

"What about me?"

"What type of person do you want to be with?" The brunette repeated, pressing a hand against Chiyo's wings. Her wings tensed slightly, before relaxing at the touch. "Do ya ever wanna start a family?"

Chiyo's eyes dimmed slightly, as she let out a yawn. Her eyes crinkled as she slowly shook her head.

"I don't think… I'm meant to be a mom," Chiyo replied, as she rubbed the back of her head. She plastered a cheeky grin onto her face, as she forced out a laugh."I think I'll start with a cat-"

"You'd be a good mom,"

Chiyo froze, the rumbling of the train coming to a cease as people started to exit. Her lips quirked upwards. She looked towards Ochako, only to see that her eyes were filled with nothing but sincerity.

'Who even knows?" She chirped, as she placed her suitcase onto her lap. Her eye wandered to a middle aged woman, with a toddler placed on her hip. She felt something in her heart twinge.

 _(Maybe someday-)_

"Let's stop talking about it," Chiyo stated, placing her hands behind her head. She glanced at Ochako from the corner of her eye. "It's not like any of us plan on popping out babies anytime soon,"

"You're right," Ochako mused. She gave Chiyo a crooked grin, as she went to pick up her suitcase. "We've gotta become super kick ass heroes first,"

Chiyo scoffed, as she fiddled with her piercings. She walked side by side with brunette, as they went to exit the train.

"Obviously," Chiyo replied. "That always comes first,"

* * *

Chi: Hiya Deku! :)

…: Hi to you too!

…: … Who is this?

Chi: The mother of your children. You're late with child support.

…: WHAT!

Chi: lol just teasing!

Chi: It's Koumori.^^ How're you holding up?

…: Koumori-san! I've been fine.

…: How was your internship? Uraraka-san said it was very informative

 _Chi has changed … to FreckleFacedAngel_

Chi: I'll have bruises for a week, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Chi: Nuff about me

Chi: Who did u end up interning with? How'd they feel about the whole Stain sitch?

 _FreckleFacedAngel is typing_

FreckleFacedAngel: I interned with an older hero. Gran Torino

FreckleFacedAngel: As for Stain… I think we were all a little shaken by it

Chi: How's the Class rep?

FreckleFacedAngel: …

Chi: U alive Deku?

FreckleFacedAngel: Sorry about that! I was lost in thought!

FreckleFacedAngel: Iida-kun's holding up better than expected.

Chi: it's lucky Endeavour was there to help clean things up.

Chi: Can't say that I'm a fan of the man, but he gets the job done at least.

FreckleFacedAngel:... Yeah, I guess he does.

Chi: Tell Iida to keep his head high.

Chi: U said u interned with Gran Torino?

FreckleFacedAngel: Yeah! Do you know him, Koumori-san?

Chi: Can't say I do. The name sounds familiar tho.

Chi: Anyways, me and Chako have to catch the next train.

Chi: Take care of yourself alright?

FreckleFacedAngel: Of course! You as well!

* * *

"You were a mess without me, weren't ya?'

Hiroto rolled his eyes at the address, but patted the seat next to him. With an impish grin, Chiyo took it happily.

"Can't say I was. The place was so nice and quiet without you," He replied bluntly, dodging a swipe from the younger girl. "I did miss having a shogi partner, however,"

Chiyo snorted at that, before placing her suitcase off to the side. The TV blared on in front of them.

"They caught him," Chiyo mumbled, as mentions of the acclaimed hero killer filled the screen. "It's strange to think about,"

"Was bound to happen," Hiroto replied, giving her a look out of the corner of his eye. "Didn't expect it to happen this soon, however,"

Chiyo hummed, as she drummed her nails against the seat. Relishing at the comfortable new addition to the house.

"Where did ya get this?" Chiyo questioned, as she bounced slightly. "It's amazing! I could sit here for ages-"

"But, you're not," Hiroto interrupted, as he went to pick up her suitcase. "Sayaka is coming over for dinner tonight. Make yourself look somewhat presentable before she does," Chiyo scowled slightly at that, as she raised a hand to her admittedly rather messy hair.

"Now? Why is she coming over today-"

"She was supposed to come over weeks ago," Hiroto informed bluntly. "But, UA's been taking all your time. Today's the only day she's free,"

Chiyo hummed at that, before pursing her lips. Her eyes narrowed slightly, as she turned to Hiroto.

"Is there a specific reason she's coming over? Is there-"

"She's introducing a new program," The man replied, his cerulean eyes staring at her in slight confusion at her outburst. "Remember that kid I mentioned? Mizuki?"

"The smart ass?"

"Yup," Hiroto replied with a pop. A rare smile graced over his face. "Sayaka's starting a 'Big Sibling' program. Foster kids mentor other foster kids,"

"That's cheesy-"

"It's a great idea," Hiroto broke through, giving Chiyo a look. "If we had something like this when I was growing up, I guarantee the crime rate would've gone down,"

Chiyo rolled her eyes, as she jumped up from her seat. Her wings twitched behind her, as she slowly walked up the stairs. She froze, before whipping her head around once more.

"If I'm gonna be mentoring this 'Mitsuki'-"

 _"Mizuki,"_

"Whatever," Chiyo waved off, before pointing a finger at Hiroto. "Do I at least get to learn more about him? 'Smart ass' isn't exactly the best descriptor,"

Hiroto just shrugged, as he walked into the kitchen.

"Think of it as a blind date!" He called, before closing the kitchen door. Chiyo scowled at his retreating back.

 _(Blind date my ass-)_

* * *

Chi:... r u serious right now?

Shin-chan: I have no reason to lie

Chi: WHY THE HELL DIDN'T U TELL ME!

Chi: Eraserhead wants to mentor you? I told you good things would come your way. But u didn't wanna listen

 _Shin-chan is typing_

Shin-chan: It doesn't mean anything yet. It's just a test run

Chi: ur gonna _make_ it mean something. Ur gonna take this opportunity and kick it's ass

Shin-chan: If u say so

Chi: I kno so. Specially since I'm gonna help u. By the time I'm finished with ya, u won't even be able to walk properly

 _Shin-chan is typing_

Shin-chan: That sounded wrong on so many levels

Chi: ... Yea it sounded way better in my head

Chi: But u get the point

Shin-chan: Yea i get the point

Shin-chan:...

Shin-chan: Chiyo I'm sorry

 _Chi is typing_

Chi: I told u to stop apologizing. One more time, and we're gonna have to fight

Chi: _[Raised fist emoji has been sent]_

Chi: I needed u to get pissed at me. I needed to stop being so… secretive

Chi: Life sucks. Things happen. But u gotta move past that

Chi: Even tho u were a complete ass, u helped me realize that

 _Shin-chan is typing_

Shin-chan: Wow

Shin-chan: That was surprisingly intelligent of u

Chi: I'll still kick ur ass, asshole

* * *

"I brought you red lilies this time,"

Nadeshiko nodded her head slowly, and a ghost of a smile appeared over her face. Todoroki stood off to the side. His lips pressed into a straight line, as he pushed his hands into his pockets. He looked down at Chiyo from the corner of his eye.

"Koumori… are you sure-"

"Hush," Chiyo replied, pulling the boy forward. Her lips twitched up into a grin. "I met your mama properly, so it's only fair you meet mine,"

Todoroki seemed as if he wanted to protest, before he eventually just nodded his head. He quietly took the seat next to her.

Nadeshiko paid him no mind, and hummed softly to herself.

"She has a beautiful voice," Todoroki noted,causing Chiyo to chuckle softly. Red eyes dimmed, as she reached for her mother's hand.

"She was always talented when it comes to art. Of any form," Chiyo stated, as her mother squeezed her hand in reply. "You should see some of her paintings. I can't even create _half_ the quality of work she does,"

"I didn't know you painted," Todoroki said, as he watched the exchange between mother and daughter. Mismatched eyes turned to meet Chiyo's. "I'd like to see some of your work,"

Chiyo gave him a look, before slugging him in the arm.

"You're a smooth talker To-chin," Chiyo said, as she carefully arranged the red lilies. "The ladies must _love_ ya,"

Todoroki just blinked in confusion, before turning his attention back to Nadeshiko.

"I have no idea what you mean,"

Chiyo chuckled at that, before quieting. She closed her eyes for a moment, and let out a deep breath.

"Mama," Chiyo started off slowly, careful not to startle the woman. "There's someone I'd like you to meet,"

Nadeshiko stared blankly at Chiyo for a few moments, before furrowing her brow.

"...Shin?" The woman said softly. Chiyo just shook her head, as her grin grew slightly wider.

"No, Shin-chan didn't come today," Chiyo replied. She took Todoroki's hand, and placed it on top of her mother's. "This is Shouto Todoroki. He's a friend from school,"

Todoroki looked slightly surprised at the contact, before gathering his bearings.

"It's a pleasure to meet you miss," The boy replied smoothly. Even going as far to bow his head. Chiyo's mouth parted slightly at that, before stretching her face into a genial smile.

 _(Thank you To-chin-)_

Nadeshiko stared at Todoroki for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she squeezed his hand.

"Shouto…" She repeated, testing the name out on her tongue. She stared straight into Todoroki's eyes. "Shouto?"

Todoroki just nodded his head calmly, letting the woman gather herself.

Nadeshiko gazed at Todoroki for a few moments more, before breaking out into the biggest smile Chiyo had seen from the woman in a long while.

She clasped both of her hands over Todoroki's, and nodded her head. Chiyo snorted at the interaction.

"I think she likes you," Chiyo replied, trying to hold in a smile. Todoroki's eyes widened at that. His lips twitched upwards, as he smiled back at the woman.

"I'm glad,"

* * *

"Ya sure about this Koumori?"

Chiyo rolled her eyes, as she stretched out her legs. Her gaze was determined.

"Are you hard of hearing senpai?' Chiyo drawled. "Want me to call Recovery Girl for ya?"

Mirio's face was carefully blank from where he stood. Eventually he let out a loud laugh, as he shifted into a fighting position.

" _You'll_ be needing Recovery Girl once this is all done," The blonde replied. "I won't go easy on ya!"

"Have you ever?" Chiyo questioned. Tamaki-who had remained relatively quiet for the most part-snorted at that. He quickly turned his head to the side, however, when Chiyo grinned at him. Red dusting his cheeks.

 _(He's still not comfortable around me-)_

"Well Rio-senpai," Chiyo started off, as her wings extended. "I wasn't exactly sitting on my ass for the past week. I've learned some things too,"

"Oh~" The blonde replied, his eyebrows raised. His grin turned challenging. "Did you get lessons on how to trash talk? Cause you're still pretty bad at it,"

Chiyo's brow twitched at that, as she crouched down. She narrowed her eyes.

"And you're still as talkative as ever," Chiyo stated bluntly. "I don't know how Maki and Neji-senpai handle it," The boy just laughed at that.

"I see that you're still talking too," Mirio replied, one eyebrow raised. He moved his hand in a 'come at me' motion. "Show me what ya got!"

Chiyo's lips twitched up into a challenging grin, as she placed her hands up into a guard position. Her eyes brightened.

 _("Clear your mind-")_

"Don't worry senpai. I _fully_ intend to kick your ass,"

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 25! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and all the interactions it contained. Not too much happened this chapter plot wise, but I hope you guys liked it anyway. Toga appeared this chapter, and I just want to put it out there that the Toga portrayed in this story is very different from the Toga of canon. For obvious reasons. I'll explain more down the road. We also got to the end of the internship arc. As I said last chapter, between now and final exams will contain a few breather chapters with an original plot. Class 1-A, and school will be present, but a few Oc's will be introduced as well. After final exams, I also plan to incorporate movie events into the story before we get to the summer training camp.

Things you Guys said:

 **I personally ship Choroki but you seemed to favour Chirio from the start and, well, in the end this is your story and no one else's. You may be generously choosing to share it with us readers but imo the most important thing is that you enjoy writing it! So you should write what makes you happy, whichever ship ends up winning the poll.** X In the beginning I was Pro-Chirio, but as of now i really don't care about the pairings as much. That's why I started the poll in the first place. I'm fine writing whatever(For the most part. There are some pairing that I refuse to write). But thank you for your concern! We got some Choroki moments this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed that!

 **I just found this story and I honestly love it. At first I was a bit put off by the whole horrible past of torture and experimentation but you made it flow very well. A lot of stories can't do that and make it seem really cliche or as if they've done little research on how someone is after they go through such a thing. I love Chiyos character and can't wait to see her develop more. I got some questions tho. If Chiyo couldn't see in the sports festival arc, how come she didn't do a form of echolocation? Ngl when that happened I thought of that one blind guy who managed to learn how to do it and clicks his tongue in order to find his way around. Also! This is gonna sound mean but I can't stand seeing everyone ship Chiyo with todoroki and bakugou! All I've seen between them is bakugou and her being mean to each other (more him to her really) and Todoroki and her finally having some normal interaction that isn't hostile. I think the ships are okay if they're more development but it's so normal in so many other fics, so I got so excited when you said you were leaning more toward Mirio! No one gives him enough love which he so deserves and I think it would be so cool seeing that relationship grow (so long as they spend more time together and stuff) but ultimately this is your story and in no way am I going to demand what I want happen. I just wanted to say I love your story, and I'm totally for mirio x chiyo (chirio is such a cute name too lajdlsldkfldl)** X I'm glad you gave this story a chance! Chiyo genuinely wasn't thinking during the Sport's tournament. She shut down in a sense. But yes, she could've used echolocation to help her during the fight with Bakugou. As for the pairings, I get where you're coming from. I feel they could all use some personal growth before they even fathom getting in a relationship. If you're shipping Mirio, however, be sure to vote in the poll.

 **Did Ochako hear what Chiyo said about that move being an assassination technique? You give the characters such an in-depth presentation that it almost feels like they are real people. It reminds me of why I love fanfiction so much, it's an extension of a whole different world where things can be changed to see what could have happened or not. Anyway, I loved this chapter** X i'm glad you enjoyed this chapter! Ochako didn't hear what Chiyo said about the assassination technique. She started eavesdropping later. I hope you continue to enjoy this story!

 **I'm really loving the growth & development that Chiyo gets in this story! I can't wait to see how she'll do in the future arcs! :) Also, I'm now a Chirio fan & i was super happy when i saw that you posted the poll! Thanks for the update!**X The whole point of this story is for Chiyo to grow into the best version of herself she can possibly be. I'm glad that I'm able to portray that in a way you find enjoyable. Thanks for reading!

 **Thanks for the new chapter it was really good. I always look forward to thus story and what happens next it is really interesting. Love it and I hope that chiyo and Chako become really close friends and she finds out because they would be really good together.** X Ochako and Chiyo will definitely become close friends. Thanks for being a faithful reader!

 **Poll results(So far):**

 **Mirio(25 votes)**

 **Todoroki(22 votes)**

 **Bakugou(15 votes)**

 **Shinsou(13 votes**

 **Izuku(11 votes)**

 **Yaoyorozu(10 votes)**

If your pairing isn't doing as well as you'd like, be sure to vote! The poll will remain on my profile. If you want me to add anyone to the poll, let me know.

Questions I have for you Guys:

How do you feel about me putting the movie events into this story?

Any questions you have for me?

 _P.S. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

 _P.P.S. Don't forget to leave a review!_


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _"What do you want to be, Chiyo?"_

 _Chiyo froze at the question, as her mother smiled down softly at her. Nadeshiko's nimble fingers running their way through Chiyo's hair. The rain beat down on the roof of their one bedroom apartment, as the tiny girl rubbed her eyes. She granted her mother a shy smile._

 _"I want to make you happy mama," The girl replied, shifting in her mother's lap. "I'll open an art gallery for you!"_

 _Nadeshiko laughed at that. A soft sound that resembled a song bird. The smile on Chiyo's face grew, as she leaned into her mother's embrace. She jumped slightly, as the sound of thunder echoed outside._

 _"That would be lovely Chiyo," Nadeshiko replied, her fingers halting on Chiyo's scalp. Her lips twisted slightly. "But… that's not what you want, is it?"_

 _Chiyo shrugged her shoulders at that, as she listened to the rain. She hummed in accordance with each droplet. Her head turned upwards._

 _"I wanna live Mama. I wanna be happy," Red eyes brightened, as a sharp grin took over her childlike face. "I wanna go to that place you talked about. San Miguel-"_

 _"De Allende," Nadeshiko finished off, bopping Chiyo on the nose. The woman grinned at that. "Of course you'll go there. If you haven't gone there, then you haven't lived,"_

 _Chiyo nodded at that, as she settled in her mother's lap once more. She rested her head against her mother's chest, as the light flickered above them. Chiyo set her lips into a firm line._

 _"Mama… tell me how you met dad again,"_

 _Nadeshiko snorted at that, as she went back to caressing Chiyo's hair. A slightly nostalgic look entered the usually composed woman's eyes. She hummed as she recalled the old tale. Her smile turned slightly sharp._

 _"The bastard insulted my artwork-"_

* * *

 ** _(No matter how annoyed she tried to act. The love present in Nadeshiko's eyes was transparent when she talked about Chiyo's father. Chiyo's heart had twisted at that. Jealousy curling up in her stomach. Consuming her entire being because she wanted that kind of love-)_**

* * *

Chiyo pushed her sunglasses to her face, as the sun beat down on her skin. She rubbed at the white freckles on her skin, that were becoming more and more prominent in the summer weather.

 _(She hated the heat-)_

Her wings drooped as she walked to class. Multiple eyes raked over her, Chiyo noted, as she made her way through the halls. Slight looks of awe present on their faces as they whispered to their friends. Chiyo took her sunglasses off, and pinned them with the fiercest glare she could muster.

They dispersed like ants after that.

She let out a heavy sigh, as she trudged into the class. She froze at the sight she was greeted with.

"Excuse me," Chiyo started off, as she moved forward. A boy with incredibly straight blonde hair stood in front of her. He seemed to tense at the sound of her voice. "I think you have the wrong class. Unless you're a transfer student-"

Angry crimson eyes whipped around to meet her own. His shoulders shaking. Chiyo let out a sound of comprehension.

 _(Well, this is an interesting turn of events-)_

Her bag hit the ground with a soft thump, as she observed the boy in front of her. She reached for his hair, only to have her hand violently smacked away. With a hum of acknowledgment, Chiyo just nodded her head. She turned towards Kirishima.

"Shima," She started off slowly, pointing towards the boy. "Is this-"

With laughter spilling vicariously from his lips, the redhead just nodded his head. Chiyo hummed once more, and turned towards the blonde for the last time. Her lips quirked up.

"Love the new style Baku. I can _never_ get my hair like that,"

In a sprout of anger, explosions crackled in the blonde's hand. Chiyo watched in slight fascination as his hair returned to his normal state.

 _"Watch it Vampire-"_

Sero and Kirishima were practically rolling on the floor. Chiyo covered the snort that threatened to exit her lips with her hand, as she went towards her seat. Jirou waved an earphone jack at her, as she sat down.

"You and Uraraka are pretty famous, y'know," Chiyo just blinked at the statement, as she fiddled with her piercings. She raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"What are you talking about?" With a cheeky grin, Jirou saddled up next to her. She pulled out her cell, and placed it onto Chiyo's desk. The tiny girl peered at the screen.

Displayed on the cellphone, was the mass destruction Chiyo and Ochako had been thrown into days before. She winced at the reminder of it.

"There's a picture of you flying someone to safety," Jirou prattled, her earphone jacks moving in slight excitement. "Uraraka too. You guys are already-"

"On your way to becoming pros!" Mina finished, appearing behind the two. She wrapped an arm around Chiyo's neck, as a bright grin dazzled her face. "You guys were so cool!"

Chiyo blushed at the praise, and hurriedly shook her head.

"There were multiple heroes on the scene. Anybody could have been of assistance in that situation-"

She was met with a strange sensation, as her cheeks were pulled. She could imagine Tooru frowning down at her.

"Geez! Just accept the compliment," The invisible girl ordered sternly. The scent of fresh perfume ambushed Chiyo's senses. "You guys were cool!"

Chiyo's lips parted slightly, as she shared a look with Ochako. The brunette met her gaze head on, Tsuyu standing next to her desk. The brunette ducked her head slightly at the praise.

 _("You're so cool Chiyo-chan-")_

Her face burned, as she resolutely stared down at her lap.

"Thanks," She muttered, as she fiddled with her piercings. She lowered her head even more, as her friends giggled around her. Tsuyu pressed a finger to her chin, as her gaze landed on Chiyo.

"Chiyo-chan," The frog-like girl started off. "You get flustered quite easily. I never noticed it before,"

"Chiyo-chan's a maiden!" Tooru replied, clapping invisible hands together. The aforementioned girl snapped her head up at that.

"I am not a-"

"She kinda is," Jirou agreed, causing the girl to look to her in betrayal. Jirou just grinned cheekily. "She has the appearance to match, too. So small and innocent-"

"Y'know what, Ro-"

"Your actions were quite admirable, Mori-chan," Yaoyorozu brought forth, her hands primly folded from her desk. Her smile was gentle, as she nodded her head. "You and Uraraka-san were wonderful,"

Chiyo blinked at the taller girl, before a careful smile graced her face. Her stomach warmed at the authenticity of the girl's words. She rubbed the back of her head.

"Thanks Yao," She replied softly. The taller girl beamed back.

"Of course-"

"You accept the compliment from Yaomomo, but not from us?" Mina cried out, locking Chiyo in a headlock. Chiyo just gave the pinkette an unimpressed look.

" _Yao's_ not annoying,"

 _"Rude-"_

"How'd the rest of your internships go?" Chiyo broke through, grinning at the annoyed look on Mina's face. Tooru seemed to straighten out for a few moments, before sending a barrage of invisible punches into the air. Chiyo's eyes widened at the sight.

"It was super informative!" The girl babbled energetically, pumping a fist into the air. "I learned a lot!"

"Mine was a complete dud," Mina complained, not lessening the hold she had on Chiyo. "Nothing happened!"

"I helped bust a drug trafficking ring," Tsuyu stated blankly, her finger pressed to her chin. The surrounding students just stared blankly at her for a few moments.

"... You're terrifying, y'know that Tsu," Chiyo brought forth, still struggling to push Mina off of her.

The frog like girl just granted them a slight smile, lighting up her usually blank face.

"If you guys wanna talk about internships," Kaminari started off, an easy grin plastered on his face. He waved a hand towards Deku, Iida, and Todoroki. "Then these three take the cake!"

Mina clapped her hands together, finally letting go of Chiyo. The grey skinned girl jabbed the pinkette in the ribs, as Sero let out a hum of acknowledgement.

"You guys had to deal with the Hero Killer, right?" The dark haired boy let out a slight shiver, before sending the three a smile. "Glad you guys made it out alright!"

"Endeavor saved you guys, right?" Ojiro questioned, his tail perking upwards slightly. Chiyo watched the three boys for a moment, and didn't miss the slight tension in Todoroki's shoulders.

'Yeah…. He did," The boy said softly, a tint of annoyment lacing his deep voice. Midoriya and Iida both seemed to tense slightly. Chiyo blinked at that, before narrowing her eyes.

 _(The look in his eye- The shifting of their facial expressions-)_

 **They're lying.**

Chiyo blinked in surprise at that, before slapping a palm to her cheek. Her heart rate seemed to speed up slightly, as her fingers trembled.

She chose to place a careful smile on her face, as she folded her hands tightly together.

"I'm glad you guys are alright," She chirped happily. Her tone garnered a slightly playful undertone. "Wasn't worried though. I'm sure if you guys had to go up against Stain-" Midoriya and Iida tensed some more "You would've kicked his ass. Endeavor or not,"

Iida and Midoriya shared a look, as Todoroki just stared at her blankly. Chiyo returned the boy's look, and raised an eyebrow.

 _(Don't try and lie. You're hiding something and I can see the bullshit a mile away-)_

"Ah, Koumori-San," Midoriya started off lightly, rubbing the back of his head. A forced smile on his face. "You're giving us too much credit," Iida nodded his head hurriedly at that.

"The Hero Killer was a highly capable opponent!" Iida replied, his hand moving robotically. He pushed his glasses up his nose, his hands trembling slightly. "Students like us would stand no chance against him!"

"Hate to say it," Kirishima broke through, a contemplative look on his face. "But no matter how manly the three of you are, Stain is on another level,"

The class seemed to be in consensus on that. Chiyo just shrugged her shoulders.

"I heard they were involved with the league," Ojiro brought forth, his brow furrowing slightly. "Someone like that… I hate to think what would have happened if he had been at USJ,"

The air seemed to darken slightly, as the class mulled over Ojiro's words. Chiyo pursed her lips.

 _(They most likely would have been killed-)_

"Even so…" Kaminari started off slowly, eyes lighting up as he leaned forward. "The Hero Killer… if ya really think about it, isn't he kinda cool-"

"Kaminari!" Midoriya called out, as Iida seemed to freeze momentarily. The blonde realized his blunder immediately, as he snapped his head towards Iida.

"Shit! Iida I didn't mean-ow!"

Chiyo raised her wing threateningly, as Kaminari rubbed the back of his head.

"Think before you speak Kami-sama," The girl stated softly. Iida just raised a hand, as Chiyo lowered her wing. She gave the boy a comforting smile, which he returned slightly.

"It's alright," He started off, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Even though his actions are inconceivable, I can… understand why someone would resonate with him,"

A fire seemed to burn in their class representative's eyes, as he stood up slightly straighter.

"Which is why… in order to keep others from repeating my mistakes I will walk the path of a hero once more!"

Chiyo grinned at that, and clapped her hands together. Her smile faltered, however, as Iida rounded on them. His eyes sharpening.

"It is now time for class! Everyone, please sit up straight! Koumori-kun, no sleeping-"

 _(At least he's back to normal-)_

* * *

The cafeteria buzzed with excitement. News of the Hero Killer's capture catching the attention of many.

 _"Endeavor's so cool-"_

 _"I can't believe-"_

Chiyo rubbed her temple at the comments, as she slowly made her way to the school roof. Multiple eyes still raked over her form, almost as if they were assessing her every move, but she diligently ignored them. She was met with a familiar head of purple hair, as she made her way to her destination. Her lips twitched upwards, as she rushed forward.

Shinsou turned his head around slowly, and gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

"Chi-"

"I missed you!" Chiyo cried out, capturing the taller boy in a hug. Her wings fluttered in fluid motions, as she tightened her grip. She tilted her head upwards, as she grinned playfully.

"Tell me _everything._ Why is Aizawa-sensei willing to train you? How'd the first session go? Is he-"

"Chiyo," Shinsou broke through, poking the girl's forehead. Traces of contentment colored his features. "It's not a big deal-"

"Finish that sentence and I'm kicking your ass," Chiyo warned, shoving her finger into the boy's chest. Her eyes brightened, as she bounced on both of her legs. "This is your _chance_. Aren't you the least bit excited?"

Shinsou didn't answer at first, staring off into the distance for a few moments. Chiyo watched him for a few moments, taking in his presence. There was something different about him, she realized. Something stronger and sturdier. It was as if the boy had been awakened.

Eventually Shinsou turned towards Chiyo. Her eyes widened at the sight she was greeted with.

The purple haired boy granted her with a wide smile, his eyes brightening with pure joy. His countenance was light.

 _(When was the last time he smiled like that. So unburdened and free-)_

He rubbed the back of his head, as a slight laugh escaped him.

"You're right," He realized, as he leaned over the balcony. "It just… it all feels so surreal, y'know? I've wanted this for so long and now… I'm finally being given a chance,"

He burned with pure determination. Pure hope.

"My quirks finally being used for _good_ ,"

Chiyo's eyes burned at that, before she quickly rubbed her eyes. Her smile was slightly wobbly, as Shinsou's smile faltered.

"What's wrong-"

"I'm glad," Chiyo replied, a laugh bubbling in her throat. Her smile dimmed for a moment. "When I got accepted into the hero course… I was so guilty. I knew how much you wanted this, and I didn't mean to take your chance away from you. I just…"

Chiyo raised her head to the sky, as the birds flew overhead. Her smile returned in full force.

 _(The birds… they had served as a symbol of freedom to her-)_

'I want to be a proper hero now, Shin-chan," Chiyo replied. "I see all of you guys working so hard, and I feel something in my stomach. It's warm and floaty. It makes me wanna work even harder,"

 _("What do you want to be Chiyo-")_

"I want to be a hero," Chiyo said resolutely, her mother's words from many years prior ringing in her ear. "A hero that people can be proud of,"

Shinsou looked slightly taken aback for a few moments. His purple eyes giving her a once over. Chiyo just grinned, unrepentant, at him.

The taller boy eventually let out a sigh. The two of them quietly looked over the balcony, as Shinsou nudged her shoulder.

"You're a handful, y'know that?"

"Takes one to know one,"

* * *

"You changed your costume, Mori?"

Chiyo's expression soured at that, as she pulled her bolero jacket on even tighter.

"The assholes didn't even ask!" Chiyo informed, slightly miffed. "I mean, I like it just fine but-"

"It's cute," Yao replied, dark hair flowing behind her. She hurriedly went to fasten it into a ponytail. "It looks very practical as well. The trench coat was very nice, but it could've served as a nuisance when in combat,"

Chiyo pursed her lips slightly at that, but couldn't argue with the other girl's logic. Mina played with the edges of Chiyo's sleeve, as she observed the outfit.

"I like the red they used," The pinkette replied. "It brings out your eyes-"

"You can't even _see_ my eyes with these goggles on,"

"Still looks cute," Mina replied nonplussed. Chiyo just rolled her eyes at that, as she pulled her goggles down. Her hair-which was reaching shoulder length- was hurriedly placed into a bun as she walked out of the locker room. She joined her other classmates, and saddled up beside Kouda. The usually quiet boy granted her a smile, which she returned easily enough.

Once the whole class exited the locker room, All Might made his appearance.

"I AM HERE!... Is what I would usually start with," The man said, as he cleared his throat. His signature grin was firmly in place, and Chiyo found that it didn't annoy her as much as it used to. It even seemed… familiar in a sense.

 _(His skeletal figure had been coughing out blood- If Akito were here he would undoubtedly admit him to a hospital-)_

Chiyo pressed a hand to her temple, and couldn't shake the sudden sense of _Deja Vu_ she was being greeted with. She fiddled with her piercings, as she turned towards All Might once more.

"It's time for Foundational Hero studies!" The number one hero glanced over all of them. "It's been a while young ones! I hope your internships served you well,"

 _(He seems more… relaxed today-)_

"Today, we will be executing a rescue training course! You'll split into four groups of five, and compete to come and rescue _me_!" the man boomed pointing to himself. "You'll have to maneuver around a complex labyrinth filled with densely packed lanes!"

Chiyo felt herself straighten at that, as a challenging grin made its way onto her face. She tugged on her finger less gloves, as her wings twitched in anticipation.

 _(Rescue…. You've got this-)_

"Keep the property damage to a minimum, please!" All Might boomed, giving Bakugou a not so subtle look. Chiyo snorted at that, as she folded her arms together.

"Don't point at me," The blonde mumbled, but Chiyo didn't miss the challenging spark that entered his eyes. Filled his entire being.

 _(The desire to win-)_

Chiyo smiled at that, as she looked ahead.

She didn't dislike that part of him.

* * *

Chiyo glanced at her competition, absentmindedly fiddling with her piercings.

She had been placed in a group with Tokoyami, Shouji, Yaoyorozu, and Kirishima. The aforementioned redhead gave her a grin once he caught her staring, Chiyo returning it easily. It was hard not to.

The redhead was an enigma in a sense. It was hard to be angry or even truly annoyed at him. Even before he had broken out of his shell.

She stretched out her legs as she waited for All Might to start them off.

 _(Slow and steady wins the race. Don't start off with too much speed-)_

It was silent for a few moments, as Chiyo observed their surroundings. Uneven ledges, metal pipes. Chiyo's wings twitched in anticipation at the sight. Her ears perked up at the rumble of All Might's voice.

 _ **"Begin!"**_

Chiyo dove off the ledge.

* * *

"Midoriya's really been improving, hasn't he?" Jirou brought forth, her earphone jacks curling slightly.

Chiyo tugged her skirt on, as the rest of the girls nodded their heads in agreement. The previous events running through their head.

Midoriya had been… _incredible_ to put it lightly. Jumping from ledge to ledge with ease. His expertise hadn't lasted long, but for the few crucial moments it did, Chiyo had been awestruck.

"It's kinda cool," Chiyo replied, as she reached over to pick up her uniform shirt. Mina gave her a slightly surprised look, before a teasing grin etched it's way onto her face.

 _(Oh no-)_

"Got a crush on Midoriya, Chiyo?"

Tsuyu let out a sound of contemplation at the insinuation while Chiyo rolled her eyes. Ochako remained eerily silent. Chiyo started to button up her shirt as Tooru let out a squealing noise.

"Really, Chi-chan?" The invisible girl let out, moving forward to catch Chiyo's arm. Her silhouette was bouncing slightly.

"No Ru-"

"It makes sense," Mina brought forth, as she pulled on her socks. The pinkette grinned cheekily. "You have a nickname for him too. _Deku_ -"

"Chako came up with it," Chiyo brought forth, causing the brunette to jump slightly. Her eyes widened as she pulled on her tights. Mina hummed, before rounding on the brunette.

"That _is_ true," She let out, her yellow eyes peering into Ochako's. She grinned teasingly. "So, Ochako-chan? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Ochako gave Chiyo a look of betrayal, as the grey skinned girl just shrugged. She started to put on her piercings.

 _(If I'm going down, everyone's coming with me-)_

"Bakugou calls him Deku too," Ochako replied, a slightly forced smile on her face. "Maybe _he's_ the one with a crush?"

Mina froze at that, her face going through a myriad of emotions. Chiyo's jaw dropped slightly, as she gave Ochako a slightly impressed look. The brunette returned her gaze, and shrugged.

Eventually Mina let out a high pitched squeal.

"I never even thought about that!"

"Forbidden love!" Tooru replied clapping invisible hands together. "They went to the same middle school too!"

"They're always fighting," Jirou brought forth, tightening her tie. Mina squealed even louder if it was possible.

"They don't know how to handle their feelings!"

Chiyo snorted at that, as she pulled her hair back.

 _(Baku, Deku… I am so very sorry-)_

"Y'see?" Chiyo started off, gaining Mina's attention. "How could I possibly come in the way of true love?"

Mina nodded solemnly at that, before brightening once more. She reached forward and grabbed Chiyo in a headlock.

"C'mon Chiyo! We're all attractive young girls," Mina stated, holding the girl firmly in place. "And we're surrounded by attractive young boys! You've been spending a lot of time with Todoroki haven't you? Or should I say _To-chin_?"

"We're friends-"

"What about that senpai you spar with?" Tsuyu brought forth, her usually blank eyes filled with mirth. Chiyo's eyes widened as she made an X motion with her arms.

"Nope! Not happening," Chiyo popped rather vehemently. "I'd rather date my pillow,"

"At this rate you _will_ ," Mina replied, one eyebrow raised. "You don't have a single romantic bone in your body. Whenever someone confessed to you-"

"Hold up," Jirou replied, raising one hand. Chiyo let out a groan as her grin turned teasing. " _Mori_ got confessed to?"

Mina nodded excitedly, as she let go of the aforementioned girl. Chiyo placed her head in her hands, her wings drooping.

"They called her the 'Ice Queen'," Mina informed, giggles bubbling in her throat. "She got a confession almost every week in our first year of middle school,"

Ochako's jaw dropped at that, before she whipped her head around.

"Did you say yes to any of them?"

"Hell no," Chiyo stated firmly. "They were idiots tripping over themselves at the sight of any pretty face,"

Her classmates gave her blank looks, even Yaoyorozu turned her head. Chiyo just blinked.

"What?"

"That was harsh Chiyo-chan?" Tsuyu replied, pressing a finger to her chin. "Did you at least let them down gently?"

Chiyo pressed her lips into a firm line, before shrugging her shoulders.

"Depends on what your definition of 'gently' is?" The girl replied. Yaoyorozu let out a sigh, as she gently closed the door to her locker.

"I think we should go back to talking about the obstacle race," The girl brought forth, her hair flowing elegantly behind her. She gave Chiyo a genial smile. "Congratulations on getting first place, Mori-chan. I'll have to work harder next time," Chiyo grinned at that.

" _You're_ my favorite Yao,"

"Hey-"

Chiyo froze, as her ears perked up slightly. She let out an exasperated sigh, as Ochako glanced over to her.

"What's wrong-"

"-SHIDO'S SLENDER WAIST! HAGAKURE'S FLOATING UNDERWEAR! KOUMORI'S INCREDIBLY THICK THIGHS-"

In an instant, Jirou's earphone jacks worked their way through the holes in the wall. A piercing shriek was emitted from the other side.

Chiyo held back a wince, as she fiddled with her piercings.

 _(Can't say that I feel bad for him-)_

* * *

Chiyo was nervous.

She hadn't quite been sure what the feeling she had been greeted with was at first. It had been familiar, but hard to pinpoint.

The sweating of her palms, the hurried beating in her chest. It had all been things she had experienced before. The thought unsettled her slightly.

 _(She was nervous about meeting a middle school kid-)_

Chiyo snorted at the thought, as Sayaka turning around to give her a slightly worried look. Chiyo just granted the woman a soft smile. She looked down at the protruding bump on the women's belly.

"Sayaka-san," Chiyo started off, tapping her foot on the car floor. "How far along are you?"

The woman gushed at that, her face glowing as she rubbed her stomach lovingly.

"Five months," She disclosed chirpily. Her brown eyes brightened even more. "Akito says it's twins,"

Chiyo cringed at that, and just shook her head.

"Well good luck to ya," Chiyo replied, holding back a shudder. "How does your husband feel about that?"

"He's the one that knocked me up in the first place," The woman replied bluntly. "But… Hayato's been happy about the whole thing. Even happier than me I think,"

"He's not the one that's gonna have to push out two _watermelons_ -"

"Chiyo!" Sayaka reprimanded, swatting at her shoulder. "Don't say that," Chiyo just raised an eyebrow.

"Am I wrong?"

Sayaka remained silent for a few moments, before eliciting a loud groan.

"You're right," She mumbled, covering her face. "How do I even know I'll be any good at this? My mother was horrible, what if I'm the same-"

"Sayaka-san," Chiyo said softly, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. "You'll be a great mom. Any kid of yours is gonna be lucky to have ya,"

Sayaka sniffled at that, before leaning forward to grab Chiyo in a hug. Her wings twitched slightly, as she went to return it. She briefly wondered if Sayaka had always been this emotional.

 _(It's the hormones-)_

She thought about how emotional Asami had been when she was pregnant with Asuka. Her wings straightened, as they neared their destination.

 _(Yeah, I'm never having kids-)_

"You can stop here," Sayaka stated to the driver, leaning forward. The man just grumbled in response, but carefully pulled up to the curb. Chiyo peeked her head out the window.

The house they had pulled up to was incredibly nice. A homey, three story complex, that was located in a damn good neighborhood.

Chiyo couldn't help but whistle at the sight of it.

"Is this guy a billionaire or something?" Chiyo questioned, as she stepped out of the car. Sayaka just nodded her head.

"Or something," The woman replied, raising a hand to fix her hair. A pleased smile made it's way onto her face. "Gin Watanabe,"

" _Never_ heard of him,"

"He's a famous chef! He used to have this reality show called _'Diced'_ ," Sayaka's lips curved slightly "It doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes as well,"

Chiyo gave Sayaka an unimpressed look, as she walked forward to knock on the door.

"You're _married_ Sayaka-san,"

"I'm allowed to _look_ ,"

Chiyo rolled her eyes, as her ears picked up the patter of feet coming closer to the door. She straightened out her uniform.

She had planned on wearing regular clothes, but Sayaka said her uniform would look more official. She moved to fiddle with her piercings, before forcing her hand down. She took in a deep breath.

 _(Why are you so nervous-)_

The door opened, as Chiyo's wings automatically froze in place. She placed a careful smile on her face, and hurriedly took her sunglasses off.

Sayaka hadn't been lying when she said the man was easy on the eyes.

The man, who Chiyo could only assume to be 'Gin', ran a hand through his blonde hair. His cinnamon brown eyes crinkled as he motioned for them to come in.

"I'm glad you were both able to make it," He stated warmly, moving to carry both of their bags. He had a certain charm to him that left Chiyo speechless. "Osamu! Show these ladies to the dining room,"

Chiyo's head whipped around, as a slightly older man in a black suit walked over to them. She struggled to keep her composure.

 _(They have a butler?)_

"Follow me," he said briskly. "Master Mizuki will be down in a few minutes,"

All Chiyo could do was nod numbly.

Red eyes flitted across the room, as they were escorted to the dining hall. Chiyo couldn't help but feel incredibly small, as they sat down at the table. An elegant pristine chandelier hanging over their heads.

 _(This kid has got it made-)_

"Chiyo-chan, you're drooling," Sayaka stated bluntly.

"This place is… wonderful," Chiyo broke through, struggling to find the right words. "This Mizuki _has_ to be a brat if he doesn't appreciate this,"

"Trust me, he is,"

Chiyo let out a slight squeak, as Gin appeared behind them. Sayaka self consciously placed a strand of hair behind her ear. The man just let out a warm laugh, and took the seat across from them.

"He _is_ a brat," Gin started off, rubbing his chin. "But he's a smart kid. _Incredibly_ so. I want him to reach his full potential,"

Gin turned to Chiyo fully, a slightly pleading look in his eyes.

"I was hoping that maybe someone as passionate as you," _He's certainly a smooth talker_ "Could get through that thick skull of his. He's book smart, but an idiot when it comes to everything else. He sucks at making friends-"

"I'm _right here_ , old man," A dark haired boy growled, whacking Gin over the head. Chiyo winced at that, and was surprised to see that Gin only laughed at the assault.

"See what I mean?" He stated, pointing towards the boy. " _No_ social skills,"

"You're _asking_ for it-"

"Young master," Osamu called out, causing Mizuki to freeze. "We have guests if you didn't notice,"

Mizuki turned towards the two like a deer in headlights. His grey eyes widening in slight surprise. Chiyo granted him a smile, and moved forward to shake his hand.

"It's nice to meet you-"

"You're the chick that lost at the Sport's Festival,"

Chiyo froze at the comment, her blood going slightly cold. Sayaka let out an affronted gasp next to her, as Gin jabbed the boy in the ribs. He sent Chiyo an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry Chiyo-chan. You _do_ remember I said he was an idiot, right-"

"You're right," Chiyo replied. She let out a nervous laugh, as she rubbed the back of her head. "I must've looked pretty uncool, huh?"

Mizuki gave her an unimpressed look, his grey eyes accessing her every move. He pushed his hands into his pockets, and let out a scoff.

"As long as you admit it," He replied. He scowled as Gin, quite forcibly, made him sit down.

"It's nice to see you again, Mizuki-kun," Sayaka stated softly, her voice taking on a business like tone. "This is the beginning of that program I told you about, remember?"

"I have to admit," the boy drawled, tapping his foot "A lot of the things you say go over my head,"

Sayaka's smile became slightly forced, as she clenched her fists. Chiyo placed a calming hand on her bicep, and sent Mizuki a slightly reprimanding look.

"That was rude, Mizuki-kun,"

The little shit just stuck his tongue out.

Chiyo's eyebrow twitched, as she took a deep breath. Her wings started to twitch at a slightly faster pace.

Gin-bless his heart-decided to take the initiative at that moment.

"He knows what you're talking about," The blonde broke through. "He was just complaining about it yesterday night,"

Mizuki scowled at that, but made no further comments.

Gin and Sayaka conversed for a few moments more, and Chiyo took the time to observe Mizuki.

There was something about the boy that pissed her off immensely. It made her feel sad, angry, and unfulfilled at the same time.

It might've had to do with the fact that after making sure the adults weren't looking, the boy made to flip Chiyo off. Or the condescending look that seemed to be permanently etched onto his face.

All Chiyo knew was that her job wasn't going to be easy.

 _(If push comes to shove, I'll just kick his ass. I'm sure nobody will mind-)_

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Meraki_ chapter 26! I want to thank you guys for getting this story past **500** followers, and for almost passing **400** favorites. I can't thank you guys enough! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The next two or three chapters aren't going to be too canon based. They're mostly getting ready for final exams, Chiyo interacting with more characters, and discovering some things. I hope you guys enjoy what's to come!

AN 2: I've also changed something in the way I write this story. Nothing major, but when referring to characters, instead of using Chiyo's nickname for them, I just use their official names. The nicknames are only used when Chiyo is talking to or about the person. (Ex: I refer to Deku as Midoriya in the text, but Deku when Chiyo talks about him)

Things You Guys Said:

 **What's exactly causes her freak out during that past fight, was it an overwhelming opponent, the inability to hold back or just something else altogether** X Her freak out was caused by the fact that Miruko was an overwhelming opponent, and-this might sound cliche- Chiyo's desire to win. She was racking her brain for any possible way to one up Miruko, and came up with that.

 **I haven't watched the movie yet and I don't know where i can watch it as of yet so i would prefer if the movie wasn't incorporated but if you do decide to add the movie I suggest not making it cannon to the story plot so those of us who haven't or can't see the movie will miss out** X I've decided not to incorporate the movie into the main story. I might write an extra chapter on it later, but I'm going straight from final exams into the Summer Camp Arc.

 **I binge read all the chapters because I couldn't stop reading. These characters have depth and each have their own facets we get glimpses as the story progresses.** **Thank you for not brushing off the trauma that Chico went through. Chiyo shows the highs and lows that come with living through it and what does happen after. I fully admit I was sceptical, thinking "it's another tragic background woe character". But you have proven that thinking wrong.** **In regards to relationships, I am a firm believer for any relationship to happen ChiChi definitely has to be first and foremost. Without being able to accept who you are (human that does make mistakes, how we feel and why even if it could be against the norms, etc) feels like it would be a disservice to the future partner. When we are with someone they help us find more of ourselves and be there through the experiences. I just believe for the best growth to happen it's good to have a firm foundation of ourselves in any type of relationship (partner, friends etc). But I leave how these relations will develop for Chico and everyone in your capable hands.** X I'm glad that I was able to prove you wrong, and I hope I continue to make Chiyo a realistic character. In regards to the relationships, they aren't the main focus at all. I think I've shown that Chiyo isn't really interested in the idea of romance at the moment. It'll happen at some point, just not anytime soon.

 **Ive been here since chapter 5! This story is coming together so beautifully and i just love it. I'm so glad i stuck around for this.** X thanks for being a loyal reader! I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

 **Poll Results:**

 **1)Todoroki(35 votes. He's climbing up!)**

 **2)Mirio(31 votes)**

 **3)Bakugou(18 votes)**

 **4)Shinsou & Izuku(16 votes)**

 **5)Yaoyorozu(11 votes)**

Be sure to vote in the poll!

Questions:

Any questions you have for me?

 _P.S. I love hearing your thoughts, so don't forget to leave a review!_


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _"What the fuck, Nana?"_

 _Cerulean eyes narrowed, as Hiroto crossed his arms. He leaned against the graffiti covered wall that marked his neighborhood. The smell of smoke wafting through the air as the chill of evening caused him to shiver. Car horns beeped in the distance, as Nana smiled ruefully at him._

 _"C'mon Hiro," The girl replied, shivering slightly as obsidian eyes crinkled. She linked arms with the boy, forcing him forward. She turned her head towards his. "I'm allowed to be happy, aren't I?"_

 _The air seemed to chill even more, as the clouds darkened. Goosebumps littered Hiroto's arm, as he shoved his hands into his pocket._

 _"It ain't that big of a deal-"_

 _"Of course it is!" The girl replied heatedly, wacking the dark haired boy over the head. She pursed her lips slightly, before staring off into the distance. Her nails dug into his bicep faintly, eliciting an annoyed look from the boy._

 _"Watch it-"_

 _"Sorry bout that!" The girl replied waving her hands in a placating manner, the grin on her face hopelessly cheeky. Her features took on a more somber tone, as the beginning of rainfall started to make its presence known._

 _"It's just… I'm happy for ya, y'know?" She replied softly. "A police officer. Who the hell would've thought that you'd do something so noble?"_

 _"What's that supposed to mean-"_

 _"You know what it means," Nana replied bluntly, causing the dark haired boy to wince. Hiroto scowled at that, but made no comment in response._

 _Rain droplets started to hit Hiroto's skin at a faster pace. Darkness beginning to shroud the area._

 _Hiroto inwardly groaned at the inconvenience. He felt Nana stiffen next to him, and let out an annoyed sigh._

 _"Look, if you wanna head back-"_

 _Hiroto's breath caught._

 _Nana had let go of his arm. Her dark hair flowing behind her. The rain droplets seemed to make her hair shine. Her eyelashes dazzled._

 _"Isn't this great Hiro?" She called out, laughing vivaciously. Tip toeing and dancing around the forming puddles. It reminded Hiroto of… freedom. Happiness. Nana embodied both of those things._

 _It was what made them polar opposites of each other._

 _Nana was the sun. Always shining, always bright. Something Hiroto could never aspire to be._

 _(A true hero in the making-)_

 _Something that would never be forgotten._

 _He felt a laugh bubble in his throat, as his lips twitched upwards. His cheeks hurt from the size of his grin._

 _"You're so fuckin weird,"_

 _"Says the guy smilin like an idiot,"_

* * *

 _(Nana had been an enigma-)_

* * *

"Senpai… not that I don't _love_ your company," Chiyo drawled, twirling a dark strand of hair around her finger. "But why are you here?"

The blonde let out a loud laugh, that caused some customers to give him strange looks. He grinned shamelessly at them, as he leaned forward on the counter. His arm brushing against Chiyo's slightly.

"Is it a crime to spend some time with my favorite _kohai_?" Mirio questioned, resting his head in his hands. Chiyo snorted at that, as she waved goodbye to a departing customer. She fiddled with her piercings, as the smell of freshly baked chocolate cake filled her nostrils.

"Maki-senpai dumped you didn't he?"

The blonde just waved a hand at her, cheeky grin still carefully in place.

"Why do you always assume the worst?"

"I'm a pessimist," Chiyo deadpanned. "I was _born_ this way,"

"No one's _born_ that way,"

"You're right," Chiyo mused, fiddling with her piercings. Her grin turned slightly sardonic. "I think I became like this in one of my past lives," Her blonde companion raised an eyebrow at that, placing his fork down next to his plate.

"You believe in reincarnation, Koumori? Never took you for the type," Chiyo raised a brow at that.

"The type? What does _that_ mean?"

"Nothing bad," Mirio placated, placing his hands up in a calming manner. His grin turned cheeky. "The… idealistic type I mean. I thought you'd be more of a realist, y'know?"

"Reincarnations plenty real," Chiyo murmured, wiping down the counter. Her lips twitched downwards. "Just… it's a feeling I have okay?"

 _(She had been restricted to a hospital bed-)_

Mirio hummed at that, placing his head in his hands as he contemplated the shorter girl's words.

"Never thought much about it. Dying I mean," Mirio elaborated, a flash of something coursing through his dark blue eyes. "I like living in the moment,"

"Whether you like it or not, it's gonna happen," Chiyo brought forth, tightening her ponytail. She smiled ruefully. "You have to make sure your death counts at least,"

 _(A flash of pink-"When I die, I want to die with happy memories-")_

The bell of the door alerted Chiyo to another incoming customer. She waved Mirio away, as she placed a perfect smile onto her face. She walked to the center of the counter, and adjusted her name card. Her wings twitching minutely as they always did.

"Hello, welcome to _Sinful Temptations._ How may I help you-"

"Chiyo-chan!" A bubbly voice called out, causing Chiyo's smile to falter slightly. A familiar head of blue hair gathered Chiyo in a crushing hug. Her entire person vibrating with energy. A girl with short, hot pink hair stared at Nejire with nothing but bemusement. The edges of her hair were slightly darker than the rest, giving Chiyo the impression that it was freshly dyed. She slowly sauntered up to the girl, and pulled her off of Chiyo.

"Nejire," the girl said softly, voice slightly reprimanding as she gently pulled the girl back. She had an easy, effortless smile on her face. Her eyes cool and collected.

Chiyo froze as she took in the girl's appearance.

 _(She looks so cool-)_

The girl smiled at her, fiddling with her multiple piercings as a slight laugh bubbled in her throat.

"Sorry about her, she gets way too excited at times,"

Nejire pouted at that, before beaming at the grey skinned girl once more. She grabbed the taller girls arm, and pulled her forward.

"This is Yuyu! I mentioned her the last time, remember?" Nejire chirped, eyes brightening. "She goes to UA too!"

The girl rolled her eyes fondly at Nejire's antics, before looking down at the display case. Her eyes widened slightly.

"I heard the food was really good," Yuyu mumbled, placing a hand to her chin. "But it'll stretch my pockets thin-"

"First time customers get a discount,' Chiyo intervened, fingers tracing the patterns on the counter. Her smile grew slightly. "Besides… Sinful Temptations has been seen as one of the best bakeries in the region. Our chocolate cakes are to die for. A once in a lifetime experience-"

"You're so _cute_!" Yuyu interjected, gushing slightly. Her cool persona dropped, as she proceeded to pull Chiyo's cheeks. "You're like a doll! Your skins so smooth too-"

Chiyo's brow twitched at that, as Mirio tried-and failed- to hold in his laughter. Red eyes glared at him, as Nejire proceeded to pull Yuyu back. The pink haired girl looked slightly abashed by her actions. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Sorry about that," Yuyu mumbled, twiddling her thumbs. "It's like a reflex y'know? My mum's a model scout, so It's in my blood. She's a lot worse than I am, trust me,"

Chiyo nodded her head mutely, as she rubbed at her cheeks. She gave Yuyu an unimpressed look.

 _(Not as cool anymore-)_

"It's alright," Chiyo replied, leaning on the counter. She briefly wondered if Yuyu's hair violated the dress code in anyway. "I get that a lot,"

Yuyu just smiled sheepishly, as she reached for her wallet.

"I think I'll just take a custard cream pie," The girl replied, as she set the money down on the counter. Her dark eyes met Chiyo's. "The least I can do for being so weird before,"

Chiyo grinned, and placed the money in the register. She fiddled with her piercings, as she went to retrieve the pie.

"Yu-senpai, I like you already,"

Nejire glomped the taller girl, causing the faux pinkette to blush slightly.

"She's great!" The blue haired girl replied, resting her head on the taller girl's shoulder. Light blue eyes peered at the display case, before freezing in place. "Is that-"

"Slutty brownies," Chiyo finished off, a slight gleam in her eyes. Mirio coughed at that, as Yuyu moved forward in interest. The pinkette leaned forward.

"What's that?" Chiyo and Nejire's jaws dropped, as they whipped their heads towards the taller girl.

"Yu-senpai," Chiyo said with the utmost seriousness. "You've never had slutty brownies?'

Yuyu just shook her head, the girl looking more and more confused by the minute. Chiyo and Nejire just shared a look.

"It's on the house," Chiyo replied, bagging the pastry immediately. She shoved it into the older girl's arms immediately, eyes sharpening. She raised her head to meet the older girl's gaze. "Yu-senpai… I promise you'll be rushing back for more,"

"If… if you say so," the girl stated, looking slightly taken aback. She ran a hand through her boyishly short hair. "Thanks, I guess?"

Chiyo just nodded her head, crossing her arms across her chest.

She waved the two girls farewell, chuckling as the bluenette waved excitedly to both her and Mirio. She went back to tending the register, before freezing momentarily. She granted the blonde beside her a look. He just smiled innocently at her.

 _"You_ still have to pay Rio-senpai,"

* * *

Chiyo took a sip of her drink, as the cafeteria buzzed around her. Yellow eyes peered at her with interest, before a cheeky grin took over her face.

"Is he cute?" Chiyo let out a sigh at that.

"Didn't really pay attention to that," Chiyo admitted, placing her drink on the table. "His personality detracts from his looks," Mina pouted at that, as Jirou let out a rather unladylike snort.

"You said his name was 'Mizuki'?" Chiyo nodded, as she placed her head in her hands. Jirou whistled, as she grinned cheekily at the grey skinned girl. "A middle school student? Mori you _cradle robber,_ "

"I'd sooner jump off a bridge," Chiyo said through gritted teeth, as the girls giggled around her, "Then even entertain the idea of gaining a crush on him. He's a spoiled brat that thinks he owns the place,"

Yaoyorozu dotted at her mouth with a napkin, as Tooru hummed. Chiyo could imagine the girl placing her head in her hands.

"Chiyo-chan," The bubbly girl started off, "Why are you mentoring him in the first place?"

Chiyo froze momentarily, as everyone's eyes turned towards her. Mina gave her a slightly sympathetic look.

 _(Be honest with them, be honest with yourself-)_

"It's this new program," Chiyo started off, pushing her food around with her fork. "A big sibling program of a sort,"

"Why?" Jirou questioned, plugging an earphone jack into her cellphone. "Is it community service or something? You're already at one of the top schools in Japan, Mori. Pretty soon you'll leave the rest of us in the dust-"

"I'm a foster kid," Chiyo blurted out, before covering her mouth. Jirou froze at that, as Tooru let out a slight gasp. Yaoyorozu-who was usually so composed- dropped her fork.

The three stared at her for a few moments, as she floundered for what to say next.

"Shit- It wasn't supposed to come out like that," Chiyo replied, placing a hand to her temple. She lowered her gaze. "I mean- I am a foster kid, _sort of._ Except the arrangements more permanent? My um… Mizuki's another foster kid, and a social worker set me up with him-"

Chiyo continued to babble on. She had never been a religious person, but at that moment, she found herself hoping and praying that someone would stop her before she made an even bigger fool out of herself.

The three just continued to stare at her, as Mina patted her back. Yaoyorozu was the first to compose herself.

"I'm sorry for acting so… surprised, Mori-chan," The girl replied, picking up her fork once more. "I just… wasn't really expecting that,"

Jirou nodded her head in agreement, as she placed her cellphone down on the table. Tooru's silhouette shook slightly, and Chiyo liked to think she was nodding her head as well.

"Yeah! There's nothing wrong with it," Tooru replied firmly. "It's just… you're usually so closed off, and-"

"We didn't think you'd share something that private," Jirou finished, an easy smile on her face. "It's.. nice,"

Yaoyorozu nodded her head slowly, elegantly. Dark eyes crinkling.

"I'm glad you trust us, Mori-chan,"

Chiyo stared at the four girls surrounding her, and she felt her eyes burn slightly.

 _(What have I done to deserve people like these-)_

Her lips twitched upwards, as she dug into her lunch. Her chest felt warm, fuzzy. Free.

"I'd be crazy not to, Yao,"

* * *

Chiyo ducked, as Dark Shadow made a vicious swipe for her head. She skirted side to side, as the Dark entity went for her abdomen.

The class had been randomly paired together for a battle simulation of sorts. She had been paired with Midoriya, a fact she was eternally grateful for. She thought of Ochako, who had been paired with Bakugou and let out a sigh of relief.

The blonde was strong, Chiyo noted, but he was possibly one of the worst partners to have. Ochako would be lucky if she could even get a word in.

Midoriya and her had been paired to go against Tokoyami and Aoyama. Something Chiyo admittedly couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about.

Aoyama was predictable, easy. She was ashamed to admit it, but the blonde was a one trick pony.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Midoriya dodge Aoyama's stomach beam. The blonde was becoming increasingly more and more nauseous. The green haired boy was only seconds from taking him down.

Chiyo's lips pulled into a smirk, as she stared at Tokoyami. Her wings began to extend.

 _(I can't afford to lose face)_

She grabbed her daggers, and crouched down as Dark Shadow came at her once more. She noticed that the entity preferred to attack her right side.

 _(Red feathers-Hazel eyes-"Predict, strategize,")_

You could shut down the whole operation, as long as you shut down the person in charge, Chiyo mused as she held Dark Shadow off.

She had to get to to Tokoyami.

She sent a look towards Deku, and grinned once she saw he had already apprehended Aoyama. His green eyes brightened as he met her gaze. He pulled out the earplugs she had given him prior to the exercise.

 _(Time to get loud-_ )

Chiyo **screamed**.

Tokoyami's hands immediately went to his ears, as Dark Shadow faltered slightly. She placed a hand over her vocal cords, as she worked to change the frequency. The 'wasteland' they currently resided in began to shake as well.

Chiyo took advantage of Dark Shadow's moment of weakness. She ducked underneath, and proceeded to tackle Tokoyami to the ground. She immediately tied his hands together.

Dark Shadow cursed, as All Might's voice rumbled over the area.

 _"Team D wins!"_

Chiyo snorted at that, as she got off of the slightly taller boy. She pulled him hurriedly to his feet.

"That was amazing Tofu," Chiyo prattled, placing a hand on his shoulder. She then placed a hand on Dark Shadow, and proceeded to pet the entity. "Dark Shadow's insane!"

Dark Shadow blushed at that, as Tokoyami nodded his head. He rubbed his right ear.

"You were a formidable opponent as well," The bird boy replied. Chiyo furrowed her brow slightly.

"Do your ears hurt? I've been trying to make it so that it's only a temporary pain," Chiyo stated. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I still got a lot of work to do,"

"Not at all, you had a very good technique," Tokoyami replied, bobbing his head. "I plan to be more diligent next time,"

Chiyo beamed at that, as she sent a look towards Midoriya. She sent the green haired boy a thumbs up.

"Nice going Deku!"

The aforementioned boy smiled at that, as he patted Aoyama on the back. The blonde desperately held his mouth, as he struggled to keep his stomach contents inside of him. Chiyo winced, as she sent him a pitying look.

All Might's voice rumbled over the intercom once more.

 _"Both teams please return to the waiting room at once! It's time to debrief,"_

Chiyo walked over to Aoyama's side, and placed one of his arms over her shoulder.

"Ao-chin," Chiyo started off, as they walked to the waiting room. "I have some mint if you'd like? My brother said that helps with nausea," The blonde gave her a wobbly smile.

"Thank you mademoiselle," He rasped. "That would be very much appreciated,"

Chiyo just shrugged, as the blonde attempted to stand up slightly straighter.

"Don't mention it,"

* * *

Chiyo gazed through the window, a contemplative expression etched onto her face as she tapped her foot quietly against the ground. Music blasted in her ears, numbing her to the world around her, as she hesitantly walked into the store.

The smell reminded her of a doctors office.

The strong smell of soap invaded her nostrils, as she hurriedly pulled down her earphones. The customers gave her strange looks, some even chortling slightly.

With all the maturity Chiyo could muster, she stuck her tongue out at them.

A burly looking man walked towards her. Tattoos adorning his upper arms and temple. He looked her up and down.

"Aren't you a little too young to be here girl?" Chiyo jutted her chin out at that.

"I'm 18-"

"Liar," The man chortled, the other inhabitants of the area giving Chiyo assessing looks. The aforementioned girl scowled at that.

"What's it to you, you lookin for a birth certificate? Would you really be willing to turn away a paying customer?" Chiyo questioned fiddling with her piercings. She sent the man a scowl. "I'm not an idiot, I know about this place. You treat criminals and you're not willing to treat _me_?" The man frowned at her, as he folded his arms. An ugly scowl on his lips.

"Listen. I'm not getting sued because you wanna look cool for your friends or whatever-"

"I'm not here to get a tattoo to look _cool_ ," Chiyo hissed, breathing in through her nose. She pressed a hand to her temple.

 _(N.47-He would always own a part of her-)_

"How much do you want?" Chiyo questioned, changing her approach. She pushed her sunglasses closer to her face. "Name it and I'll pay it-"

"I'm not taking-"

"Yamato Suga," The man froze at those words

Chiyo granted him a wan smile, fiddling with her piercings as she always did.

"You did work for him not too long ago, right? Last time I heard, he's wanted for quite a few robberies-"

"How the hell do you know this?" the man broke out, pudgy face becoming increasingly more red. "Who the hell-"

"I have ears everywhere," Chiyo proclaimed, folding her arms. In truth, she had just paid a few of the locals. There was little people wouldn't do for money.

"I wonder how the police would feel if they knew about some of your customers?" Chiyo stated, pressing a finger to her chin. "I don't think they'd be very thrilled to know you're-"

The man raised a hand, silencing Chiyo. His brows furrowed together as Chiyo just gave him a cheeky grin. His temple seemed to bulge.

"What do you want brat?"

* * *

 _"You got a tattoo-"_

"Could you be _any_ louder, Kami-sama?" Chiyo questioned hurriedly, slapping a hand over the blonde's mouth. The blonde looked sheepish for a moment, as Sero let out a soft chuckle.

She hadn't planned on letting the Kaminari and Sero know. She hadn't planned on letting anyone know to be honest. But Kaminari had been persistent.

She had run into the two only minutes after getting the deed done. Her lower back, where N.47 used to be displayed stinging slightly.

The electricity user just gave her a cheeky grin.

"Chiyo you _rebel_ -"

"I didn't do it to rebel," Chiyo interrupted, running a hand through her hair. "I did it to… to-"

 _(To properly take control of my life)_

Chiyo pursed her lips as she looked off to the side. Sero placed a hand on her shoulder, dark eyes slightly inquisitive.

"What'd you get?" The black haired boy asked, looking slightly curious. Kaminari's eyes widened, as he seemed to bounce slightly.

"Wait, don't tell us. You got a picture of my face didn't you-"

"Why would I _want_ to be reminded of you?" Chiyo questioned jokingly, slugging the boy in the arm. She took her sunglasses off, cleaning them as the blonde folded his arms.

"Well then what'd you get?' He questioned looking slightly miffed. Chiyo smiled softly at that.

 _(Pink hair-She had loved flowers- "Chiyo-chan, I'll show you the world-")_

"A Sakura blossom," Chiyo proclaimed, cheeks warming slightly. "It hurt like a bitch, but it was worth it,"

Sero hummed, as he ruffled her hair slightly. Chiyo swatted his hand with a scowl.

"How are your parents gonna feel about this?" He questioned rubbing his hand slightly. The same easy grin was still carefully in place.

"It's my body," Chiyo chose to say, wincing at the term 'parents'. "Don't really care what they have to say,"

Hiroto wouldn't care, neither would Asami. Akito would be the only one to freak out.

 _("I own you-")_

Her body, her decisions.

The two boys whistled at that, Kaminari shoving his hands into his pocket.

"Where did the cute, innocent girl from the first week of school go?" Kaminari questioned, as Chiyo scrunched her nose.

"I was hardly innocent," Chiyo started off, before giving the boy beside her a look. "And I'm still cute thank you very much,"

Sero snorted at that, as Kaminari raised his hands in a placating manner.

"Whatever you say," Sero stated, folding his arms. "My parents would _kill_ me,"

Chiyo remained quiet, as she fiddled with her piercings. She breathed out through her nose, as Sero gave her another look.

"Sides, why'd you get a tattoo _here_? This neighborhood looks shady-"

"Don't be such a _dad_ , Han-chan,"

* * *

She was a plain looking girl, Chiyo noted, as she made her way into the kitchen. Her appearance screamed ordinary. _Dull._ Long legs connected to a skinny top.

Her pure white hair had been pulled into pigtails that fell over her shoulders. They greatly contrasted her dark brown skin.

Her nose was buried in a book. Golden eyes flitting over the page, and completely oblivious to Chiyo's presence. Chiyo cleared her throat.

The girl continued to read her book.

Chiyo's brow twitched at that, as she moved closer to the girl. She placed her 'customer' smile onto her face as she tapped on the girl's shoulder.

"Hello, Osamu didn't tell me anyone was in here. Do you know where Mizu-"

The girl jumped about a foot in the air, golden eyes glowing slightly. She whipped her head around. Her jaw dropped, as she pointed frantically towards Chiyo.

"You-you-" The girl quickly covered her mouth, looking slightly embarrassed. Chiyo couldn't help but notice that the words were slightly… distorted in a sense.

"I didn't mean to startle you. Are you a friend of Mizuki's-"

The girl ran out of the room, pigtails flailing behind her. Chiyo watched her back helplessly.

With a sigh, Chiyo took her place at the kitchen table. Osamu walked in only moments later, refreshments firmly in his hand. His brows furrowed as he looked around the room.

"Osamu," Chiyo started off, gratefully taking a cookie from the plate in his hand. "Who was that girl in here? She seemed _terrified_ of me,"

Osamu hummed at that, putting the plate gently down on the table.

"That was Lady Hotaru," Osamu informed, passing Chiyo a napkin. "She's Master Mizuki's best-and only I might add- friend. She's usually quite bubbly,"

Chiyo hummed at that, as she fiddled with her piercings. She nibbled on the chocolate chip cookie, going over the previous interaction.

"Does she have a sore throat? Her voice sounded kind of weird-"

Osamu stumbled slightly at that, catching Chiyo off guard. The butler cleared his throat, as he granted Chiyo a slightly firm look.

"Lady Hotaru is _deaf_ , Lady Chiyo,"

Chiyo dropped her napkin.

Feelings of shame rose in her stomach, as she gave the butler a furtive glance.

"What?" Chiyo squawked, sitting up straighter. "I.. I didn't _realize_. I thought she was just-"

Chiyo caught herself as she looked off to the side.

 _(I called her weird-)_

"I have to apologize," Chiyo groaned, placing her head into her hands. "I must've terrified her,"

Osamu nodded at that, as he worked on setting the kitchen table.

"Lady Hotaru is an avid hero fan. She practically forced Master Mizuki into watching the Sport's Festival with her,"

Chiyo sunk against the kitchen table, as Osamu continued his work.

"She was quite excited when Master Gin mentioned that you would be coming over. She thought you were… cool," The elderly butler replied, looking slightly out of place using the term.

Chiyo pursed her lips together as she hurriedly got up. She slung her school bag over her shoulder, her wings twitching at an incredibly fast rate.

"Osamu, where's Mizuki-kun's room?"

* * *

Chiyo schooled her features, as she stood in front of the middle schooler's room. Her hand was raised, ready to knock. But she found something was holding her back.

 _(What if she already hates me? What if Mizuki told her horror stories-)_

Cold air met her face, as the door opened. Grey eyes stared down at her, unimpressed.

Chiyo met his gaze, and couldn't help but scowl.

 _(I hate the fact that he's taller than me-)_

With a long suffering sigh, Mizuki moved out of Chiyo's way. He waved a hand, motioning for Chiyo to come inside. She blinked at him in slight awe.

"I expected you to put up a fight-"

 _"Shut up,"_

Chiyo mimicked zipping her lips, as she walked inside. Her jaw dropped at the size of it.

Mizuki's room had its own fridge, bathroom, and _piano_. Chiyo hadn't even known the boy _played_ the piano. A king sized bed was placed next to the wall, a large flat screen TV in front of it.

The girl-Hotaru- gazed at the TV solemnly. Her knees pulled up to her chest, as she let out a sigh. Chiyo slowly walked up next to her, sitting down on the ground.

The girl moved her hands in a fluid motion. Sign language. She continued to watch the TV, oblivious to Chiyo's presence.

Mizuki sat on the other side of the girl, causing Hotaru to look at him in slight confusion. She signed something to him, only to freeze when Mizuki pointed towards Chiyo. A shit eating grin on his face.

Chiyo thought he looked nice when he smiled.

Chiyo waved, once Hotaru's attention was on her. She gave the taller girl a smile.

Golden eyes just stared at her. Blankly. Awkwardness tinting the air, as Chiyo looked towards Mizuki for guidance.

"Mizuki-kun," Chiyo started off tentatively. "How do I sign, 'I'm sorry,'?" Hotaru bristled at that, before narrowing her eyes at Chiyo. She raised her hands, as if to sign something before deciding against it. She took a deep breath.

"There's…. There is nothing you… have to apologize for," The girl replied, voice slightly monotone. Chiyo gaped at that.

"You can read lips? That's amazing-"

Hotaru raised a hand, brows furrowing. Mizuki snorted in the background.

"You're talking too fast, _senpai_ ," He stated, the last word containing a mocking undertone. Chiyo scowled at that, fiddling with her piercings as Hotaru fisted her hands into her skirt. "She can only read lips to a certain extent. Plus she doesn't have her hearing aid, today,"

Hotaru's eyes seemed slightly troubled. Chiyo pursed her lips, as she brought out a piece of paper.

 _'Hotaru-chan, right?'_ Chiyo wrote, placing the paper in the girl's line of sight. ' _It's a pleasure to meet you. Your eyes are super pretty,_ '

Hotaru blinked at that, before gushing. She brought out a pen of her own, as a slow smile graced her features.

 _'Thank you!'_ The girl wrote frantically, her entire being brimming with energy. _'I thought you were super cool at the Sport's Festival. You still are cool of course, but your fight's were amazing! Your entire school was amazing! UA really is the best of the best-'_

The girl wrote a mile a minute. Chiyo could barely keep up, as the girl wrote continuously. Her thoughts flowing out as if she would have no other chance to share them. Chiyo couldn't help but smile at that.

She chanced a look at Mizuki, taking note of how he smiled at the back of Hotaru's head. Grey eyes contemplative.

 _(So familiar-)_

Chiyo looked back down at the paper, and noticed that Hotaru was waiting for her reply. Golden eyes expectant.

 _(So innocent-)_

Chiyo snorted at that, as she continued the 'conversation'.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's Meraki chapter 27! It's been about a month since I last updated, but I've been ambushed with school work. First and foremost, I want to thank you guys for allowing this story to pass **200** reviews, **500** followers, and **400** favorites. Thank you guys _so much_. I'll try to make my updates more frequent. As for the chapter, there's a few things I'd like to address. Hotaru is serving as a trial run for me in a sense. I've never written a deaf character before, and I hope I can do her justice. If you guys see any inconsistencies please let me know. I've also decided to incorporate the movie into the story as well. I know I said I wouldn't do it, but due to the fact the movie is now available, I've decided to go with my original plan. If you want to know where you can watch the movie, just PM me.

Things you Guys said:

 **So I can't access the poll but I am definitely going for a YaoxChi pairing! I think they would be really cute together** X The poll is on my profile. You might not be able to see it if you're on a mobile device(cellphone)

 **I've read all 26 chapters so far and I have to say, I'm very suprised and glad to read this! :) Chiyo has similarities with Fuyu but with differences, they want to become their own person and be useful to help others. I would love to see a crossover with them, I'm sure everyone would, if you want to. Chiyo becoming a hero to find out why heroes exists is an unique premise, her disliking heroes is understandable because of her dark past, but will later understand them as well. Chiyo is arrogant and can be harsh sometimes, but she has flaws even when she wants to be herself. And things will get difficult for her later on, finding out Toga is alive, I doubt Adachi is dead but I'm still hoping he is. Chiyo interacting with the girls was really cute, I don't mind Izuku and Bakugo being a thing too! X) Mizuki has a lot in common with Chiyo, he'll eventually come around. I would like for Mirio to be with our loveable bat queen, but Todoroki is winning so I'll let it slide. Meraki is like Of Heroes, Blood and Boba but it has become its own story and it really does.X** You're not the first one to have said this, but it still makes me happy to hear each time. OHBAB is one of the best fics out there. To have this compared to it… being flattered is an understatement. As for a crossover, _maybe_ in the future if Marshmellowtime agrees to it. I definitely want to improve my writing style before that time, however.

 **Ah I'm sorry I haven't been around to appreciate this masterpiece for a while but school and work have been getting to me lately :(** **Anyways, since I've been gone a while this is probably gonna be a long ish review, sorry! I'm just gonna list all of my thoughts since otherwise they'll come out as a jumbled mess ahaha.** **1\. I used to play Sonic on the DS so I can definitely appreciate her hero nickname — although I don't really know his character personality, I felt really moved by the inspiration behind her choice, and I love that it could have a dual meaning which refers to her actual abilities! I was excited to read your a/n response that she would eventually be able to cause earthquakes/shatter buildings and the like, because I think that side of her ability has so much potential. As a side note that isn't really realistic but I just wanted to share, I think I learned in my phyics class that there's a certain intensity at which is sound is a literal death note? So it would be cool if she could use her abilities to literally rupture organs and stuff like that, but as I said it would be pretty impractical since diffraction means she wouldn't really be able to direct it.** **2\. I'm glad the majority of her issues with shin-chan and to-chan have been pretty much resolved, because happy endings make me happy lol. Also, if any misunderstandings occur with regard to to-chan's nickname, I will be greatly amused (the daddy jokes lmao).** **3\. Do you think you could post a short summary of sorts about the timeline of events? I'm a bit confused about the short scenes in the beginning of the chapters. I realize that they're intentionally vague and appear in short spurts but I'm slow, lol.** **4\. So I know in my head that there's a reason for Mizuki's brattiness since rich kids in stories generally have depth and never turn out to be as shallow as they appear on the surface, but I can't wait for Chiyo to smack his stupid entitlement straight to Mars. And if she acquires a new little duckling along the way, well. She does have mother-hen tendencies, so what can you expect? 5. I'm not caught up on the manga or anime or movies, and I honestly stopped right after the sports day thing, but I think you've done a pretty awesome job of explaining things so kudos to you, lol. I don't care about spoilers btw so I'm sorry if this makes you feel pressured to accommodate me! Ahaha I'm sorry this was so long; it turned out to look like a mini-essay kinda, sorry! You're doing amazing though so I just wanted to give you feedback because it doesn't seem like this story is being appreciated as much as I feel it should. Thank you for your hard work!** X Never apologize for long reviews, and I'm so glad you enjoy this story. It was shown a little bit this chapter how the vocal part of Chiyo's quirk will evolve. It will evolve even more the farther we get into the story. I didn't answer every aspect of your review, but I'm a bit pressed for time. I really wanted to get this chapter out. I hope you continue to enjoy Meraki! Thanks for your continued support!

 **Have you given any thought to giving an alternate ending for every pairing either in a side story or epilogues after this is over?** X I definitely plan to write special chapters that contain different pairings. But when it gets to the end of Meraki as a whole, I plan to just write Chiyo with one person. There will be a majority of side pairings as well.

 **Mizuki isn't gonna live long** X He wasn't too bad this chapter, but Chiyo will deal with his attitude eventually.

 **Poll Results:**

 **1)Mirio-41 votes**

 **2)Todoroki-40 votes**

 **3)Shinsou-22 votes**

 **4)Bakugou-20 votes**

 **5)Izuku-17 votes**

 **6)Yaoyorozu-16 votes**

 **7)Tamaki &Dabi-1 vote(Someone pm-ed me, so these two get a special mention. They'll definitely get a side chapter in the future.) **

Questions:

What do you guys think of Chiyo's tattoo?

What do you guys think of Hotaru?

Any questions for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to leave a review!_

 _P.P.S. Yuyu is a real character in the manga._


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _She had been four years old. Physically at the least._

 _Dirt between her fingernails, clothes smeared in mud. Eyes that had shone with so much brightness and hope-_

 _(He had taken that away from her. He had ruined the second chance she was given-)_

 _It had been a beautiful day when she had met him. Neither too hot nor too cold. Birds flying peacefully on the horizon. Childish laughter filling the air._

 _She remembered feeling bad for him._

 _He had sat on the swing sets. Green eyes filled with so much sadness, and regret. He watched the children quietly._

 _(Later on, Chiyo would realize, was that he was picking his next victims. His next experiments-)_

 _She had walked up to him, a cheerful skip in her step. Brimming with energy, because no one deserved to be that sad on such a beautiful afternoon._

 _She grinned at him, careful not to flinch when he turned his gaze onto her._

 _"Sir, could you push me?" Chiyo had questioned, bouncing slightly as she pointed towards the swing set. She remembered him snorting at that._

 _"Didn't your parents ever teach you 'Stranger Danger'?" He had questioned, voice filled with mirth. She remembered thinking that he was handsome. Incredibly so, if the multiple stares he gained from the single mothers was any indication. Chiyo scrunched her nose at that._

 _"You're not dangerous! Sides, my mom wants me to make new friends," Chiyo declared placing a hand on her hip. The man stared at her for a few moments, before letting out a full blown laugh. Chiyo scowled at that._

 _"What's so funny-"_

 _"Is your mother with you?" He had questioned, running a hand through his hair. Chiyo nodded at that, pointing over towards Nadeshiko. The woman blinked, before sending the two a million watt smile. He stared at Nadeshiko, taking in her presence._

 _(It wasn't an uncommon occurrence. Nadeshiko was no stranger to compliments. It was hard to be that beautiful and not get any compliments-)_

 _"What's your name, young one?" He questioned, giving Chiyo a soft smile. Finally tearing his gaze from her mother. Chiyo grinned impishly._

 _"You're pretty young too," Chiyo countered, with all the sassiness her four year old body could muster. "But, my names Chiyo. You?"_

 _The man smiled at her, sending a slight shiver down her spine. Only later would she be granted with the reason._

 _(Nadeshiko had never trusted him. Chiyo had seen it in her eyes. She only indulged him because of her. Only talked to him because of her-)_

 _"Adachi. You can call me Adachi,"_

* * *

 ** _(If she had just left him be. If she had just left him alone then maybe-)_**

* * *

" _Chiyo please-"_

"No-"

"I'm gonna _fail_!" Mina cried out, tugging on the sleeve of Chiyo's shirt. Chiyo gave the girl a look.

"That's on you," Chiyo replied folding her arms. "Whenever I told you to study, you slacked off. _Now_ you want to cram at the last moment?"

"Yes!" Mina replied, as if it was obvious. The pinkette tugged on her hair. "We're not all smarty pants like you, miss _second place_. Some people are actually _normal_ and don't study months in advance," Chiyo bristled at that, before placing her head down on the table. Mina froze, and let out a heavy sigh.

"Mina-chan," Tsuyu stated, placing her finger on her chin. "You shouldn't rub it in while the wounds still fresh," The pinkette gave Tsuyu a baleful glare.

"She's being dramatic-"

"I was so close!" Chiyo wailed, tugging on the ends of her hair. Kirishima and Tokoyami stared at her blankly, as she proceeded to have a mini breakdown. Kouda patted her shoulder comfortingly.

 _"So so close. Why is Yao so smart?_ " Chiyo mumbled to herself. " _I studied my ass off. I know I couldn't have made any stupid mistakes-"_

"Will she be okay?" Tokoyami questioned looking slightly unsettled. Kirishima shrugged at that.

"I think she's used to being on top, academically at least," The redhead replied, scratching his cheek. "She was undefeated in middle school,"

The bird boy nodded his head at that, as Sero just shrugged his shoulders.

"What can ya do?" The boy said, raising his hands in a carefree manner. His grin turned teasing. "I guess Yaoyorozu's just smarter,"

Chiyo retracted into herself at that. Knees tucked against her chest as she rocked back and forth. Kouda lifted his hand, unsure what to do.

"He's right," The girl mumbled nonsensically. "Yao's a genius. It's to be expected-"

"Mori-chan," Yaoyorozu called out, as Tooru sent invisible fists towards Sero. "Second place isn't a joke! You're incredibly intelligent as well," Chiyo's ears perked up at that, as the dark haired girl looked towards the remaining classmates. Something seemed to strengthen in the girl's eyes.

"I may not be any help with the practical," The girl stated, eyes looking downwards. "But I can organize a study group if you'd all like?"

 _"Yaomomo!"_

 _"Our queen!"_

Kaminari and Mina seemed to flock to the obsidian eyed girl. Waving their hands as if she was a goddess. Yaoyorozu seemed empowered at that, as more classmates moved forward in need of help.

"I can serve tea!" The girl stated looking more and more excited. "Oh we could have it in the hall! If that's alright with you all of course?"

The surrounding classmates just nodded their heads, looking slightly intimidated. Chiyo gave Yaoyorozu a blank look.

 _(The hall? Tea? Yao how rich are you-)_

Chiyo unraveled herself from the ball she retracted into. Her hands fisted into her skirt as she let out a sigh.

"Can I join too?" Chiyo questioned, scratching her cheek. Kaminari let out a gasp at that.

"The elusive Chiyo-chan asking for help? Is the world ending-"

Chiyo smacked the blonde with her wing, diligently ignoring his yelp of pain. Jirou struggled to hold in her laughter, as the blonde rubbed his cheek. Yaoyorozu looked even more enthused if it was possible.

"Of course! You can be my assistant," the black haired girl replied. Mina flinched at that, as she sent Yaoyorozu a pleading look.

"Maybe that's not the best idea-"

"I'd love to," Chiyo replied, bouncing slightly. Her smile grew, as she pumped her fist. "If they don't get it, we can just beat it into them!"

Yaoyorozu faltered at that, as the rest of the surrounding classmates sent her furtive looks.

"Maybe not so.. _violent_ , Mori-chan-"

"It'll be great!" Chiyo continued, shining eyes turning towards Yaoyorozu. "You have to show me some of your study methods,"

Yaoyorozu blinked at that, before smiling brightly. All previous disturbances forgotten.

"Of course!"

"Yaomomo," Mina cried, whispering from the side. She pointed towards Chiyo. "She's abusive-"

"Oh shut it, you were practically _begging_ for my help,"

"Yeah, cuz _I thought there were no other options_ ,"

* * *

Chiyo watched on, as Ochako and Shinsou traded blows. The brunette was ruthless, not giving Shinsou the proper chance to retaliate. Her eyes reminded Chiyo of an assassin. She left no openings.

Chiyo couldn't help but feel incredibly proud.

 _(Miruko would be proud too-)_

She let out a cheer as Ochako slammed Shinsou to the ground. The brunette grinned cheekily at her, as she wiped the sweat from her brow. Shinsou rubbed the back of his head with a groan as he sent Chiyo a slight glare.

"I thought you were supposed to be _helping_ me?"

Chiyo rolled her eyes at that, as Ochako pulled the purple haired boy to his feet. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"The best way to teach is hands on," Chiyo replied, as she folded her arms. "If you can't even beat _us_ , then your toast when it comes to the real thing," Ochako nodded her head at that.

"You're doing really well Shinsou-kun!" Ochako replied, pumping her fist. "You almost got me-"

"Don't lie to him, Chako-chin," Chiyo replied, plopping down on the boy's back. She gave the purple haired boy a shit eating grin, as he glared up at her. "He still has a long way to go. Now give me twenty push ups,"

Shinsou did push himself up, but knocked Chiyo over in the process. The girl scowled at him as she rubbed at her nose. Shinsou gave her an innocent look.

"I was just doing what you told me, sensei,"

Ochako snorted at that, as Chiyo folded her arms. The creak of the punching bag filling the silence that was the UA gym.

 _"Asshole,"_

"Takes one to know one," The purple haired boy replied, nonplussed. Chiyo reared back at that, lips twisting upwards.

"Rude. And after all I've done to help you,"

"Uraraka-san's been more help," Shinsou replied, continuing his push ups "You've just been taking up space," Chiyo cracked her knuckles threateningly at that, as her eyes sharpened.

"You callin me fat?"

Shinsou choked, as Chiyo went to fiddle with her piercings. Ochako let out an 'oh' sound as the purple haired boy flailed about.

"I never said that!"

"' _I'm taking up space?'_ You didn't have to say it,"

"Wha-" Shinsou froze, as he saw Chiyo's mask start to falter. Eventually the girl erupted into full blown laughter. The boy scowled at that as he flopped onto the ground.

"You're _horrible_ ,"

"And you're still as gullible as always," Chiyo replied holding back a snort. "As if I'd be offended by something as stupid as that. I thought you'd know me better than that Shin-chan,"

"You've got a great body, Chiyo-chan!" Ochako affirmed, as she stretched languidly. She sent their purple haired companion an expectant look. "Right Shinsou-kun?"

The purple haired boy just shrugged, as he got back to work.

"You're healthy, I guess," The boy mumbled. Chiyo gave him a blank look, as she stopped fiddling with her piercings. She eventually let out a long suffering sigh.

"'I'm healthy'?" Chiyo quoted, placing her hands behind her head. "Shin-chan you need a lot of work if you wanna get a girlfriend in the future. You don't tell a woman they look 'healthy', you tell them they look se-"

"Mind if I join you guys?"

Chiyo stopped her train of thought, as she tilted her head to the side. Ojiro stood not too far from where they were, looking slightly sheepish. Chiyo grinned, and waved for the boy to come over.

"Finally, a gentleman!" Chiyo proclaimed, as she got to her feet. Shinsou rolled his eyes, as he continued his push ups. "You can be my sparring partner. If you don't mind getting your ass kicked that is,"

Ojiro looked slightly taken aback, as Shinsou nudged Chiyo's leg with his foot.

"You'll scare him away, _Yuki-onna_ *-"

Chiyo kicked Shinsou in his side, and plastered a painfully tight smile onto her face.

"Ignore him," The girl replied, fiddling with her piercings. "He's just mad he got his ass kicked by Chako. It's quite sad actually," Shinsou scowled.

"Oh shut-"

"I could help," Ojiro brought forth, rubbing the back of his head. He sent Shinsou an apologetic look. "I saw what happened before and-"

"You decided to take pity on his poor soul," Chiyo finished, placing a hand over her heart. "You're much too kind, Oji-sama," The boy let out a slight laugh, and scratched his cheek.

"If you say so,"

Chiyo stretched out her wings, letting out a slight yawn in the process.

 _(Uncertain brown eyes-"I wouldn't want to hurt you,")_

"Let's have a demonstration," Chiyo brought forth, smile slightly challenging. She pulled her foot backwards and squatted down slightly. "Unless… you're worried about hurting me of course?"

The boy's eyes sharpened slightly, as he put his arms up into a guard position. His smile turned slightly predatorial.

"Of course not,"

* * *

"Takuto got his quirk," Hinata prattled, as he squeezed Chiyo's hand. The tiny redhead seemed to brim with energy as he waved his arms for emphasis. "He can stretch his arms really really long! He even pulled on the teacher's hair!"

Chiyo snorted at that, as Hinata's cerulean eyes seemed to brighten. He let out a childish giggle.

"I can't wait to get mine," The boy replied, causing Chiyo's heart to sink. She chanced a look at the boy, and felt her stomach drop as he ducked his head. His eyes down cast.

Chiyo sighed at that, as she ruffled his hair.

"'Nata, it's alright," Chiyo soothed. "The doctor said you should get it soon, right? You just gotta be patient,"

Hinata pouted at that, as he kicked at a pebble. He looked at Chiyo enviously.

"But, you got _yours_ early on," Hinata challenged, furrowing his brow. "What's wrong with _me_ -"

" _Nothings wrong with you,_ " Chiyo snapped, causing Hinata to rear back slightly. Chiyo froze at that, as she loosened the tight grip she held on the boy's hand.

"'Nata I… sorry about that," Chiyo mumbled, as she looked at the boy from the corner of her eye. "It's just… being quirkless isn't a _bad_ thing. It doesn't mean that you're less important than anyone else. You-"

"You can't be a hero if you're quirkless," Chiyo froze at those words.

She chanced a look at the younger boy, and saw the plain frustration that colored his features. His usually carefree countenance was tainted.

 _(Menacing green eyes-"They always thought they were better-")_

For the first time, Chiyo was completely silent when it came to Hinata. She pushed her sunglasses closer to her face.

 _(What can I say? What could make this situation better-)_

"Hinata-"

"ALL MIGHT!" Chiyo jumped at the declaration, and whipped her head to the side as she saw multiple people running past her. Their cellphones were whipped out, recording something that was far ahead of them.

She furrowed her brow, as Hinata burrowed into her side.

"Chi, what's going on?" The redhead questioned, looking around with wide eyes. Chiyo shrugged her shoulders, as she desperately tried to get a better look. She could see someone being carted away by the police. She looked around frantically, and froze as a tall skinny figure broke her out of her musings. Chiyo's eyes widened.

"Toshinori-san?"

The skeletal man jumped, before turning his head to the side. He coughed out blood at the sight of Chiyo.

"Y-young Komouri-"

"Holy shit, are you alright?" Chiyo questioned moving towards him. She looked him up and down. "Were you able to go to the hospital before?"

The man nodded his head, and gave Chiyo a shaky thumbs up. He seemed uncomfortable.

"I'm perfectly fine!" The man replied, attempting to seem chipper. "I was just taking a little stroll, is all,"

Chiyo gave him an unimpressed look, as she glanced at the multiple gushing people that surrounded them. She scowled slightly.

"All Might was spotted in the area, I'm assuming?" She questioned as she fiddled with her piercings. The blonde man seemed to freeze at that, as Hinata let out a surprised gasp.

"He was? Did you get to see him?" The tiny redhead questioned, gazing up at Toshinori with wide eyes. The blonde man started to sweat bullets. His hollow eyes becoming slightly troubled.

"Ah, yes-"

"Really mister!?" Hinata replied, reaching up to grab Toshinori's shirt. The skeletal man towered over Hinata, appearing to be three times the size of him. Hinata wasn't cowed by this fact, however. "Did he use his Texas Smash? Is he really seven foot tall in person? Does he really have a wrinkle under his right eye-"

"Hinata," Chiyo reprimanded, placing a light karate chop to the boy's head. She glanced at the blonde, and granted him an apologetic look. "Sorry about him, he's a total fanboy," Hinata gave Chiyo a petulant glare, as he rubbed his head.

"It's _All Might_ , Chi-"

Toshinori let out a booming laugh, as he struggled to compose himself. Chiyo was taken aback by it, as the man smiled down at Hinata. He ruffled the redhead's hair.

"Well, I didn't get the best look at him," The man admitted, placing a finger to his chin in contemplation. "But, he used Delaware Smash this time. Much more effective,"

Hinata nodded vigorously, as he seemed to soak in all the information. His eyes brightened even more, as he seemed to bounce in place.

"I wish I had seen him! I only got to see him _once_ ," The redhead replied, looking dejected. He peered up at Toshinori. "Do you think he's still around Mister?"

The man just shook his head, an apologetic smile on his face.

"He left the moment the villain was apprehended. He was in a bit of a hurry, I think," The man disclosed, rubbing his head. Hinata dropped his head, as Chiyo just patted his back.

"It'll happen again Nata, you just gotta be patient," Chiyo soothed. "All Mights gonna be around for a while,"

Hinata pursed his lips, before looking towards Toshinori once more. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in he man's form.

"Are you alright mister?"

The man seemed taken aback by that, his skeletal form shaking slightly. He looked surprised at the question. As if no one had really thought to ask him that before and truly _mean_ it. Eventually he just smiled softly.

"I'm quite alright, Young one,"

Hinata nodded his head hesitantly, before reaching into his pocket. He gave the tall man a melted chocolate bar, his eyes determined.

"You don't look good," Hinata replied bluntly, causing Chiyo to give him a look. "Chocolate always makes me feel better,"

Toshinori didn't quite know how to respond to that. Frankly, Chiyo didn't either. Hinata was always able to surprise her.

 _(So Young and so smart- It must run in the family-)_

"Toshinori-san," Chiyo stated, as she steeled herself. "Why don't you come over?" The man did a spit take at that, as he waved his arms.

"I couldn't possibly-"

"You're friends with Hiroto right?" Chiyo brought forth, as she bowed her head. She noticed that the man flinched at the word 'friends'. "Plus you work at UA. Let this be an apology for how rude I've been all the previous times we've met," The blonde let out a nervous laugh.

"Thank you for the offer, but I truly-"

"Toshinori-san," Chiyo replied through gritted teeth, causing the man to be taken aback. "To be blunt, you look as if you're about to fall over. If you say no I'll just drag you to the house," Hinata nudged her with his elbow at that, as he 'whispered':

"Chi that's kidnapping," Chiyo just folded her arms, pinning the man in front of them with an unimpressed look.

"In this case it's alright," Chiyo placed a hand on her hip, and looked the man up and down. She wasn't against the idea of picking him up, he didn't seem too heavy. "What'll it be Toshinori-san? You walk to the house peacefully, or I carry you there like a child?"

The man seemed at a loss for words, before eventually plastering a nervous smile onto his face. The sun seemed to set in the background.

"It… it _has_ been a while since I've had a nice home cooked meal," The man stated, eventually. "I'd be honored, young Komouri," Chiyo just smiled up at him, and beckoned him forward as she squeezed Hinata's hand once more.

"Hiroto makes the _best_ Miso soup..."

* * *

Chiyo was making progress.

Yes it was true the middle schooler still didn't appreciate her presence, but Mizuki no longer tried to actively get rid of her.

While he had used to resort to childish pranks, such as hiding her shoes, or placing bugs into her bag- _Chiyo had wanted to kill him for that one_ -, he was now on much better behavior.

Chiyo believed it was because of Hotaru.

The dark skinned girl had caused Mizuki to become… softer in a sense.

He was still an asshole, but a bearable asshole Chiyo noted, as the aforementioned boy silently read a book in the corner of his room. Hotaru seemed to bounce, as she wrote on the paper she and Chiyo shared. She gave it to the shorter girl with an incredibly goofy smile.

' _Senpai, how'd you get into UA?'_ had been written down. Chiyo hummed at that, as she wrote down a reply.

' _I was a recommended student, so the process was a bit different for me,'_ Chiyo disclosed. _'You'll have to take a written exam, though. And possibly fight against a few robots. Nothing too big,'_

Hotaru raised a brow at that, and shook her head.

 _'How is that not big?'_ Hotaru replied frantically, golden eyes widening as they flitted over the page. ' _We don't all have flashy quirks like that. How is everyone supposed to be given a fighting chance?'_

Chiyo looked over the words, and shrugged her shoulders. She thought of Shinsou, and pursed her lips.

 _'You just gotta work your ass off,'_ Chiyo stated bluntly. _'Being a hero isn't a walk in the park. The odds are always going to be against you-'_

Chiyo froze, as she granted Hotaru a look. The tall girl seemed to be contemplating something. Chiyo took in a deep breath, as she got back to writing.

 _'Hotaru-chan, why are you asking all these questions?'_

The girl just gave her a blank look, the words _'isn't it obvious?_ ' ringing through the air. Chiyo let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

 _(Everyone always wanted to play the hero-)_

 _'My parents used to be pro-heroes,'_ Hotaru disclosed, looking slightly somber. ' _I… want to follow in their footsteps,'_

Chiyo wanted to tell her no.

She wanted to say that being deaf would hold her back. That it would be a hindrance. That she wouldn't make it. She stopped herself, however once she saw the look in Hotaru's eyes. The wariness present. The hurt.

The girl was already used to rejection.

' _I know what you're going to say,'_ The girl wrote, her movements stiff. _'Trust me, it's been said before. My mother loves to remind me everyday,'_

Chiyo remained still, as the girl continued to write.

 _'Even so… no matter what anyone says… I won't forgive myself if I don't try,'_

Chiyo was speechless.

 _(Who am I to judge-)_

"Alright," Chiyo said aloud, making sure to speak clearly. She took Hotaru's chin, and made the girl look directly at her. Hotaru's eyes widened at that, as Chiyo raised an eyebrow.

"If you want to be a hero," Chiyo replied matter of factly, making sure to enunciate her words "You should work on reading lips. I know it's not easy, but as shitty as it sounds, no one's going to accommodate you once you get to UA. You're already somewhat good at it,"

Hotaru stared at her, her pale white brows furrowing. She wrote something down on the piece of paper, her movements calculated and measured. She placed the paper into Chiyo's lap gingerly.

 _'When I get to UA?'_ Chiyo just smiled at that.

"Well, I'm gonna help you of course. If you teach me sign language that is. No student of mines gonna flunk-"

Hotaru smelled like cinnamon.

Long arms wrapped around Chiyo's small body. Pale white hair flooding Chiyo's senses as the girl whispered quiet measured _Thank yous_ into her ears. Chiyo just patted her back.

She didn't miss the slight smile on Mizuki's face.

* * *

"You like her, don't you?"

Mizuki dropped the book he was holding, the words _'Moby Dick_ ' strewn across the title page. Chiyo hummed at that, as she went to pick it up.

" _'Moby Dick',_ huh? I never read it-"

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?" Mizuki asked through gritted teeth, the tips of his ears turning red. Chiyo smirked at that, as he snatched the book from her hand. His grey eyes seemed to blaze.

"It's obvious, y'know," She replied, placing a hand on her hip. "I think it's cute-"

Chiyo ducked as he threw the book at her head. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"You gotta be quicker than that, Mizuki-kun," Chiyo mocked. "Hotaru-chan's a good girl. Could be _really_ cute if she tried. Much too good for you,"

Chiyo dodged once more, as he threw another book at her head. Chiyo caught it easily enough, and glanced over it.

"Mark Twain? You have surprisingly good taste,"

Mizuki gave her a long suffering look, as he flopped down back to his bed. Chiyo sat down next to him, ignoring his complaints. Eventually he just groaned.

"You're impossible," Chiyo snorted at that, as she opened _'Moby Dick_ '.

"I know. But you're gonna be stuck with me for a while, so ya better get used to it," Chiyo replied, patting his leg. She let out a laugh as he violently slapped her hand away.

Chiyo was growing to like Mizuki. For all his rough edges, and asshole tendencies, Chiyo found he was fun to tease. He seemed so incredibly familiar that Chiyo was beginning to enjoy his company.

 _("You're amazing Chiyo-chan-")_

Chiyo pressed a hand to her temple, as her shoulders shook slightly. Mizuki granted her with a sharp look.

"The _hell's_ wrong with you?"

Chiyo stared down at her lap for a moment, before forcing out a laugh.

"Absolutely nothing. I'm just worried y'know?"

"About what?" Chiyo smirked at that.

"About the fact that you're so incredibly _whipped_. She has you in the palm of her hand," Mizuki scowled as he got up from his bed.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be? Someone else to bother?"

"Not at the moment," Chiyo replied, as she inspected her fingernails. Something was nagging in the back of her mind. Something Chiyo couldn't quite understand. It made her feel melancholic.

"Mizuki-kun?" The boy just gave her a baleful glare. "What do you wanna be when you grow up?"

"None of your _damn_ business,"

"It is my business because we're supposed to be bonding. Now tell me before I sit on you," The boy did turn red at that.

He remained silent for a few moments, his lips pulled downwards as he glared at something in front of him. Eventually he let out a sigh.

"A police officer," Chiyo whistled at that, as she got up and walked over to the boy's dresser. She noticed a picture hidden underneath some papers. A younger Mizuki standing next to-

 _(Stop-)_

"A police officer? How noble of you," The boy just stuck his tongue out at her. Her eyes wouldn't leave the picture.

"It's better than being some stupid cliche hero. The police officers do all the important work," Mizuki declared, sticking a pinky into his ear. "They're the _real_ heroes,"

"Don't let Hotaru hear ya say that," Mizuki bristled at that, but said no more. Chiyo couldn't take her eyes off the picture. It was as if she was rooted in place.

"Hey Zuki-kun?"

 _"Don't call me that,"_

"When was this picture taken?" Grey eyes peered up at her before widening. He moved quickly, and took the picture away from her sight.

She didn't miss the flash of pink hair.

 _(Stop. You're hallucinating-)_

"Can you stop being so damn nosy?" He hissed, turning the picture over in his hand. "It was taken ten years ago, OK. Now _let it go_ -"

"Who was she?" Chiyo blurted out. "That girl?" She felt her nails dig into her palms, as the boy became even more annoyed.

"She was my sister. Keyword: _Was._ Now drop it,"

Chiyo stared at the boy in front of her, her heart rate picking up. Grey eyes- _that were exactly like hers_ -glared down at her.

 _(A wan melancholic smile-Always had a smile-"My family's gone-")_

"What was your sister's name, Mizuki-kun?" The boy looked apoplectic.

 _"What part of drop it do you not understand-"_

The boy froze, as he met Chiyo's gaze.

She felt something warm drip down her cheeks. Everything felt hot, as she gazed at the boy firmly. Mizuki just rubbed the back of his head, as he looked off to the side. Chiyo didn't falter.

 _(Please. Please let me be wrong-)_

"Her name was Hanami," The boy replied, as he tucked the picture away once and for all. "It's not that sad, so stop your crying. I got over it years ago,"

 _("My family's gone Chiyo-chan-")_

Everything started to slow down.

 _(What a sick fucking joke-)_

Chiyo forced a smile, as she rubbed at her face. Her hands fisted into her skirt.

 _(There were so many things she wanted to say. So many things that should've been said. Why couldn't she say it-)_

"I'm sorry for your loss,"

* * *

 _*Yuki-onna- Chiyo's nickname in middle school. Yuki-onna is an evil spirit in the folklore and mythology of Japan. Her beauty lures men out into her blizzards, enticing them to follow. Those who are enchanted by her charms desperately search for her until they perish from the cold. Despite her inhuman beauty, her eyes can strike terror into mortals. She floats across the snow, leaving no footprints (in fact, some tales say she has no feet), and she can transform into a cloud of mist or snow if threatened._

Were you guys expecting that? I've had Mizuki in my head for a while, and I hope at least some of you were surprised by this revelation. We passed **600** follows, and **400** favorites, so I wanna thank you guys immensely for that. Next chapter will deal with the aftermath of this one(There's a reason Chiyo was paired with Mizuki. It wasn't purely coincidence) and it will also deal with more of final exams preparation. Once we get to the movie that will take at least 2-3 chapters to cover. Then we'll finally get to the summer training camp.

Things You Guys Said:(I didn't answer all. Only the reviews with questions)

I **s the past life going to do or mean anything significant?** X At this point, it doesn't count for much. Chiyo's past life definitely played a role in the beginning, but she has so many more issues to deal with now that it's put on the back burner in a sense. It does affect the way she thinks about certain things, however.

 **Chiyo got a tattoo? Pretty bold, but she's making her own choice by doing better. It's so sad that Chiyo told Tooru, Jirou, Mina and Momo that she's an orphan. While at the same time, they understand that she was honest with them. The girls do care, Class 1-A cares and Chiyo's adopted family cares as well. More flashbacks about Hiroto and Nana, what really happened to them before Nana died? More Chirio moments, and Mirio's back at number one again! :) I thought Yuyu was an OC, but she does exist in the manga. Thanks for the info! Thanks for replying to my comment, I'm so happy! X) Take your time, we got Spring Break so I wish you well! I think you did alright with Hotaru, Mizuki having a kinder side is so sweet. Tamaki and Dabi are going after Chiyo's heart too? Now I want that side chapter so bad. I feel like everything is too happy, I know what's gonna happen, but I can't shake the feeling that something isn't right.** X Thanks for the review. I will say however, that Chiyo technically isn't an orphan. Her mother's unable to care for her, but her father is still very much alive. He'll come in sooner or later. As for Hiroto and Nana… all will be revealed. I plan to write a chapter focused on them eventually. I sadly don't have Spring Break until mid April, but thanks for the kind words! As for your bad feeling... I hope this chapter answered why.

 **A Meraki and OHBAB crossover? SIGN ME UP. I can just totally see how Fuyu and Chiyo can relate to each other, having dark pasts and a rough personality**. X It's not gonna happen anytime soon, but maybe someday. I wouldn't mind writing it if Marshmellowtime is on board. Chiyo and Fuyu would def be kindred spirits.

Any questions you guys have for me?

 **Poll:**

 **1) Mirio(49 votes)**

 **2)Todoroki(47 votes)**

 **3)Shinsou(29 votes)**

 **4)Bakugou & Yaoyorozu(24 votes)**

 **5)Izuku(19 votes)**

 **6)Tamaki & Dabi(2 votes)**

In regards to the poll, I just wanna say that this poll isn't completely final. I will take into account who wins this poll, but I'll also take into account who would be a great fit for Chiyo and make this story more interesting. As I said before, I made this poll to see who would be the most popular. I might end up closing it around the Overhaul arc. The romance itself won't start til later though.

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_

 _P.P.S. Don't forget to leave a review._


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _He rubbed at his face, the tear tracks still very much present. The taunts of the neighborhood kids continuously haunting his conscious, as he nestled himself under the playground slide._

 _("Weirdo-Freak-")_

 _He hiccuped at that, as he hugged his knees to his chest. Grey eyes seemed to dim as rain droplets started to fall. A misty hue began to surround the area as a chill began to settle in the air._

 _(He had always hated the rain-)_

 _He felt someone loom over him. Strands of pink hair tinkling his nose._

 _"Geez, Zuki-kun!" She had stated, plopping down next to him. She rested her head on top of his, the multicolored leaves crunching underneath her weight. "If ya keep on crying like this, they'll just keep on bothering ya,"_

 _Mizuki had just sniffled at that, as he hurriedly rubbed at his eyes._

 _"I-I'm not crying. Can't you see it's raining?" He stated glaring up at her. With a cheeky grin, the girl just ruffled his hair._

 _"Sure, sure," She stated, folding her arms. A contemplative expression made its way onto her face as she rocked back and forth. "I got them back for ya, y'know,"_

 _Mizuki snapped his head up at that, as Hanami granted him a thumbs up. Childish dimples forming as she rubbed the back of her head._

 _"They weren't that strong. One punch and they all went crying for their mommies-"_

 _His arms wrapped around her torso in an instant, as he sobbed into her shirt. Hanami laughed at that, as she easily returned the hug._

 _"I thought you weren't crying?"_

 _"S-Shut up!"_

* * *

 _(She had always stuck up for him. Always been a constant in his life. He had loved her-)_

* * *

Chiyo closed the door to the house softly. Her heart pounding in her chest, as she gingerly made her way into the kitchen. The smell of freshly baked cookies wafted through the air.

 _("Her name was Hanami-")_

She tapped on the kitchen counter, once, twice, three times-

"Chiyo?" Her chest tightened at the voice.

She heard something shuffle in the living room, and dug her nails into her palms as Hiroto peeked his head into the door.

"Chiyo? What are you doing back so soon?"

She found she couldn't answer him. Something rose up in her stomach, as she desperately tried to ignore-

 _("She was my sister-")_

"Did you know?" Chiyo blurted out, causing Hiroto to freeze. His eyes seemed to sharpen for a moment, as he dried his hands off onto his apron.

 _("Her name was Hanami-")_

"Gonna have to be more specific," Hiroto replied, as he pulled out a tray of sugar cookies. He offered them to Chiyo, a semblance of a smile ghosting over his face. "Want some? Made your favorites-"

"Please," Chiyo interrupted, placing a hand to her temple. Her eyes narrowed as she took off her sunglasses. She pinned Hiroto with a stern glare. "Don't dodge the question. You're not an idiot, so please don't act like it,"

Hiroto returned her gaze, as he gingerly placed the tray back onto the counter. He placed a hand onto Chiyo's shoulder.

"Chiyo, what's going on-"

"Hanami," Chiyo blurted out, smacking his hand away. Her heart beat started to pick up, as she clenched her fist. "I… you said you helped Sayaka-san pick the match ups. Did you know?"

"Did I know what-"

"You're one of the only people I told about her," Chiyo whispered, causing Hiroto's eyes to widen. "He's her brother. This whole time I thought I was insane. The same mannerisms, face shape, those eyes. How could I not have seen it?"

 _("She was my sister-")_

Chiyo froze at that, before letting out a loud raucous laugh. It bubbled up in her throat, as she doubled over on the floor. Her wings shook at the intensity of it.

"He's her brother," Chiyo stated, struggling to catch her breath. "Her brother. Isn't that hilarious?"

Hiroto watched her silently, before kneeling down next to her. He patted her head gently, as he let out a long suffering sigh. Chiyo stilled at that, the trembling in her hands refusing to cease.

"I had a hunch," The man admitted, running a hand through his snow white hair. "The backstory matched up with what you told me about your friend. Same last name-"

 _(Mizuki Saigo- "Hanami Saigo step forward-")_

Chiyo didn't need to hear anymore. With a snarl, Chiyo smacked the elder man's hand away once more. Her lips set into a firm line.

" _You had no right_ ," Chiyo hissed, causing Hiroto to rear back. "What did you think was going to happen? We'd bond over our shared trauma, and become best buds? I thought _you_ of all people would be more realistic,"

The kitchen was dead silent, as Chiyo kept her gaze on Hiroto. The lines in his forehead seemed to become even more prominent. He breathed out through his nose, as he shook his head.

"You're right," Hiroto admitted with such nonchalance that made Chiyo want to _scream_. "I guess it was just an old man's wishful thinking. I had hoped that … maybe it would help you move on-"

 _"I've moved on-"_

"Then why are you crying?" Hiroto questioned matter of factly. Chiyo's blood ran cold at that.

Her eyes burned slightly, as tears threatened to squeeze out of her eyes. Red eyes narrowing slightly, as she leaned against the kitchen counter. In a fit of rage, she hurriedly spun around to walk out of the kitchen. Her wings caught the side of the cookie tray.

The sugar cookies scattered across the ground.

Chiyo eyes widened at that, as her fists unclenched. She stayed firmly rooted in place, however. She desperately ignored the slight look of surprise in Hiroto's eyes.

 _(He deserves it-)_

Chiyo averted her gaze from the scene, as she quickly walked out of the house.

* * *

"The fuck are you doing here?" Chiyo let out a heavy sigh.

Bakugou glared down at her, soft drink in his hand as Chiyo had bent down to pick up her wallet. Kaminari and Kirishima weren't too far behind him.

"I'm professing my love to you, Baku," Chiyo drawled as she got back up. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

The blonde's brow seemed to twitch at that, as Kirishima slung an arm around his shoulder. He sent Chiyo a million dollar smile that she couldn't help but return.

"Shima, Kami-sama, Baku. Always a pleasure to see you three," She ignored the aggravation that rolled off the explosive boy in waves. She instead granted the three a pinched smile and a nod, and opted to walk in the opposite direction.

The three boys fell into step with her, however, Bakugou doing it begrudgingly.

Kaminari gave her an easy grin, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Chiyo-chan, looking as lovely as always-"

"No," Kaminari blinked at that, as Chiyo fiddled with her piercings. She sent him an unimpressed look.

"I didn't even ask yet!"

"You didn't need to _ask_. I'm not giving you the answers to Yao's homework. It's supposed to _help_ you. Unless you wanna fail the finals of course?" Kaminari looked about ready to pull his hair out.

"It's torture," The boy cried out, Kirishima snorted at that before shaking his head.

"Maybe you're just an idiot?"

"I don't want to hear that from _you-_ "

"What are you doing out, Chiyo?" Kirishima questioned, ignoring Kaminari. The electric user scowled at that, and shoved his arms into his pockets. Chiyo looped arms with him.

"Getting ingredients," Chiyo relayed, holding up a bag of groceries unapologetically. "For sugar cookies. I messed up the last batch," Bakugou snorted at that, and gave Chiyo a rather condescending look.

"Who the fuck messes up sugar cookies? Those are the easiest-"

Chiyo just stuck her tongue out at him.

"I don't want to hear that from _you_. You probably can't cook to save your life," A vein throbbed in the blonde's head at that, as he snatched the bag of groceries from Chiyo's hands. The grey skinned girl raised an eyebrow.

"Carrying my bags for me Baku? You're such a gentleman-"

"Is that a fuckin challenge?" Chiyo blinked at the interruption, before bellowing out a laugh. She shook her head, as she snatched the groceries back.

"You always think everything's a challenge. I'm just stating the truth,"

"Careful, Chiyo," Kirishima whispered conspiratorially, as literal steam poured out of Bakugou's ears. A sharp grin took over his features. "I don't think he can handle the truth,"

" _Kiss my ass Shitty Hair,"_

Chiyo listened on halfheartedly, as the two went back and forth. Her lips pressed into a firm line, as her wings folded together.

Kaminari bumped her shoulder, an easy grin etched into his face. His eyes were slightly sharp, however.

"Everything alright?" The blonde questioned, his usual joking manner pushed to the side. "You seem kinda depressed," Chiyo grinned up at him, and bumped him back. She ignored the heavy feeling that had settled in her chest.

 _(Smile, smile, smile-make people happy like she did)_

"Final exams," Chiyo replied, "I've been working my ass off to study for it," Kirishima stopped his back and forth with Bakugou, and gave her a look.

"You're at the top of the class," The redhead replied, tapping his knuckles on top of her head lightly. "You don't have to get a perfect score y'know? I swear you and Yaoyorozu are something else," Chiyo just whistled at that.

"Yao's on another level," Chiyo replied. "She's perfect. Can't be beaten. She'll be the number one hero I bet-"

"The only one taking the number one spot is me, not that ponytail bitch,"

Chiyo froze in her tracks at that, before giving Bakugou a slight glare. Kirishima and Kaminari wisely chose to stay silent.

The blonde's red eyes didn't contain the same hot blooded anger they usually did. They were more subdued. As if what he was stating was a known fact and not a childish ambition. Her lips turned up at that.

"With all due respect Baku, jealousy doesn't suit you," She replied fiddling with her piercings. She smirked up at the taller boy. "I guess you're just gonna have to work harder. Cause from what I see, you got a long way to go from being the best,"

She slowly walked towards him, grocery bags in hand and grinned.

"If you're not careful I might just take that spot for myself,"

The blonde looked surprised at that, red eyes widening slightly. Chiyo just grinned up impishly at him. The boy snorted at that, the motion lighting up his face for only a moment as he brushed roughly past her shoulder.

"I'd like to see you try shrimp," He said bluntly. "Who was it that kicked your ass at the Sport's Festival?"

Chiyo pressed a hand to her heart, in mock hurt, as she stared at the blonde's retreating back.

"You're ruthless Baku," Chiyo called out. "But you didn't kick my ass. I was still standing when Midnight called the match. I'm always up for a rematch if you want to settle the score?"

"If you wanna go blind again sure,"

Chiyo did scowl at that, as Kirishima snickered slightly. The redhead patted her shoulder as he went to catch up with the temperamental blonde.

"See ya later Chiyo!"

"Try not to kill anyone!"

Chiyo rolled her eyes at Kaminari's farewell, but nodded her head anyway as they went down different directions.

She felt something leak onto her pant leg, and glanced down quickly.

She let out a groan as she realized her eggs were completely cracked.

With a heavy sigh, she walked back in the direction of the store.

* * *

She had left the fresh batch of sugar cookies on the kitchen table, but otherwise didn't converse with Hiroto. Too angry to hold a civil conversation and too prideful to apologize.

She didn't come down for dinner that night, munching on a bag of chips instead.

She wasn't angry at Hiroto. She knew it wasn't _truly_ his fault, that he wanted what was best for her. That he-

 _("She was my sister,")_

Chiyo groaned as she covered her face with her pillow and flopped backwards, her wings flattening.

She owed Mizuki an explanation, that she knew. Running out of his room the moment he had confirmed her suspicions.

The thought of confronting the boy, seeing those eyes made Chiyo shiver slightly. It almost felt like talking to a ghost.

 _(She wondered the type of relationship they had-They were probably close- Hanami was hard not to love-)_

The ringing of her phone broke Chiyo out of her musings. She glanced down at it, and snorted as a picture of Mina flashed on the screen. She brought the phone up to her ear.

 _"Chiyo~"_ The voice crooned, causing Chiyo to roll her eyes fondly. _"Me and Tooru got together-"_

"Oh no," Chiyo joked.

 _"-We talked, and thought it would be a great idea if all us girls got together. After final exams and before summer break starts up,"_

Chiyo hummed at that, and let out a snort as Mina let out a heavy sigh.

 _"Really? That's all ya have to say? 'Hmmm'?"_

"Mina-chin," Chiyo stated, stretching her legs toward the ceiling and taking note of the slight scars that decorated them. "It's a great idea. I'm sure everyone will love it,"

There was silence on the other end, Chiyo was slightly unsettled by it. Not used to the pinkette being silent.

 _"... You okay? You sound different than usual,"_ Mina eventually replied. _"You usually make at least three smart ass comments when I bring something like this up,"_

"I've had a long day," Chiyo stated bluntly, not elaborating. She imagined the pinkette nodding her head on the other side of the phone.

 _"You're lovesick, aren't you?"_ Chiyo _choked._

 _(A flash of pink hair-_ )

"Sorry to disappoint, but I've got no time for love. Neither do you if you want to be a hero," She could feel Mina rolling her eyes.

" _Live a little Chiyo. You're a cute girl, I'm sure you won't have a hard time finding someone,"_

"Is that an offer Mina-chin?" The pinkette snorted.

" _Nah, you're too short for me. Once you make it past five feet we can talk-"_

Chiyo hung up at that.

* * *

"Are you alright, Mori-"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Chiyo snapped, tension brimming throughout her entire being. "I'm fine. Just _peachy_. Just because someone's not smiling all the damn time doesn't mean-"

Chiyo stopped, lips parted as she caught herself. Obsidian eyes stared down at her warily, warm cup of tea in hand as Yaoyorozu took the seat next to her. Chiyo just rubbed the back of her head.

"I… sorry Yao," Chiyo mumbled in response, as she took the cup of tea gratefully. "Are the others being dumb asses? Want me to-"

"The others are doing fine," Yaoyorozu replied, sipping her own tea slowly. She stared down into her cup for a few moments. "I was just curious as to why you aren't joining us?" Chiyo let out a sheepish laugh.

"Got lost on my way to the bathroom. Your place is _huge_ -"

"The bathroom wasn't far from where we were," Yaoyorozu pointed out. "I directed you to it,"

Chiyo just let out a slow whistle.

"I must be a real dumbass then," Chiyo replied, playing it off as she got up slowly. "Sorry for being such a shitty house guest. Your mother- _lovely woman by the way_ \- said that balcony had a really nice view. I just had to see it,"

Yaoyorozu nodded at that, gentle smile curving over her face as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It is quite beautiful," The girl replied, Chiyo nodding her head in agreement. "I used to love coming up here,"

"Really? Why not anymore?' Chiyo questioned, propping her head up with a fist. Yaoyorozu let out a quiet sort of laugh.

"More responsibilities," The girl supplied. "I don't have as much time as I used to," Chiyo shook her head slightly.

"That's a shame. If I had something like this I'd be up here everyday!" Chiyo's eyes brightened "It's so... calming. I almost forgot-"

 _(She was my sister-)_

Chiyo quieted down, something Yaoyorozu didn't miss.

"I was a bit… jealous of you, when we first met," The tall girl supplied, causing Chiyo to whip her head around. Her lips curled downwards, as she looked down into her now empty tea cup. "Pathetic, I know-"

"Of me? Yao you're at the top of the class, one of the brightest people I've ever met, and you're drop dead _gorgeous_. There's nothing to be jealous of when it comes to little old _me_ -"

"I've always been told that," The girl supplied, slouching forward slightly. She pursed her lips. "My whole life I was put on a pedestal. But... coming to UA made me realize something," Chiyo's ears perked up in interest.

"What's that?"

The wind started to pick up slightly. Chiyo's hair began to whip into her face, but she didn't take her eyes off the girl next to her.

Yaoyorozu looked… sad.

"None of that matters if you can't apply it in a real life situation,"

Chiyo remained silent, trying to figure out the right words to say. She was speechless.

"When it matters, you always seem so sure of yourself," Yaoyorozu prattled. "You're strong, and you don't let failure stop you from working as hard as you can. Even at the exams, the exams for the recommended students, you held your head up high. You put up an amazing fight at the Sports Festival while I was nothing but lackluster,"

 _(You're wrong-)_

"Looking at you and Todoroki-san makes me realize that-"

 _(The only reason I'm like that is because I can't afford to fail-)_

"- _I don't deserve this_ -"

Laughter spilled from Chiyo's lips, as the tiny girl doubled over, her wings shaking. Yaoyorozu looked to her in slight concern.

"Mori-chan, are you alright-

"Yao," Chiyo cut in, voice firm. "For someone so smart, you can be such an idiot,"

Yaoyorozu reeled back at that, shock present on her face as Chiyo collected herself.

 _"You don't deserve to be here'_ " Chiyo repeated. "I want you to take that silly idea and get rid of it. Don't compare yourself to To-chin first off, he's too perfect to even be considered _human_. You _all_ deserve to be here. You all worked your asses off to get here, and you're no exception," Chiyo took in a deep breath. "Let me tell you a little secret,"

The obsidian eyed girl remained silent. The wind chimes on the balcony began to create a soft pretty tune.

"You think I'm so great? I'm one of the worst girls you'll ever meet," Chiyo replied, as she felt something within her slowly start to _break._ "Heroes? I don't even like them. All Might? He's overrated. You? Hated your guts the first time I saw you. All those smiles I gave you, those words of encouragement? I wanted you to _fail_ ,"

 _(Shut up. That's not true-)_

"If anyone doesn't deserve to be here it's _me_. I'm not a _real_ hero, and I definitely don't fit the bill of what a hero's supposed to be. I'm an insensitive inappropriate mess that's just passing by,"

The area was silent. Her hands had clenched together, as Yaoyorozu just stared down at her. Shock coloring every inch of her face.

"You hate heroes?" Yaoyorozu eventually questioned, causing Chiyo to gather herself. Her eyes narrowed as she let out a haggard sigh, running a hand through her hair.

"That… that came out wrong," Chiyo mumbled. "I didn't mean to say all that. Sometimes I get too caught up in my own head and-"

"Then why are you here?" Chiyo froze at the question, as she tilted her head towards her companion. Her gaze wasn't cruel or condescending, however. It was purely searching. Searching for the answer.

"What?" Chiyo questioned, fiddling with her piercings. Yaoyorozu didn't repeat the question, however. Instead she pinned Chiyo with the same intense gaze.

 _(She was my sister- "Heroes are so cool-""I love you-")_

 _ **Why don't you just admit it?**_

Chiyo let out a shaky sigh.

"I loved someone, or rather… I was _in love_ with someone," Chiyo admitted, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off her chest. Years of denying the simple fact finally coming to a head. "I loved someone… and they loved heroes more than anything. I'm doing this for them,"

Chiyo clenched her fists.

"I'm doing it for me too," Chiyo replied firmly. "I… I _want_ to be a hero. I'm not just half assing it, not anymore at least. I want to be a hero people can be proud of. Not someone who does it for fame, or does it for money. Someone who people can look to. Someone who makes people happy,"

She felt herself slowly start to come together.

"I used to hate heroes, I despised them," Chiyo revealed. "But… coming here. Doing my internship, I've come to understand them. I understand the obsession people have with them,"

 _(I understand why she loved them-)_

"Becoming the hero I want to be," Chiyo revealed. "Is what I need to become a good person. I _want_ to be a good person-"

 _("Deep down, Chiyo-chan, you're just as twisted as I am-")_

"You already are,"

Chiyo didn't answer that, and chose to look off to the side. Yaoyorozu let out a sigh.

"I have to say, you're being a bit hypocritical," The raven haired girl stated nonchalantly. "You called me an idiot, yet you're being one yourself," Chiyo winced at that, as she gave the girl an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry I said that. All of that. I didn't want you to fail, and you're not an idiot. You're just-"

"You were right," Chiyo's eyes widened slightly, as a soft smile curved over Yaoyorozu's features once more.

"No one's ever called me an idiot. Hearing you say that felt… _refreshing_ in a sense,"

Chiyo stared at the taller girl, before letting out another laugh. The taller girl just gave her a look.

"No one's ever laughed at me this much either," Chiyo continued to laugh.

"I can't help it Momo," Chiyo replied, causing the girl to freeze up. "You're hilarious. It's almost as if-"

"What did you just say?"

Chiyo gave Yaoyorozu an inquisitive look, as she mulled over her last sentence. Her jaw dropped as she sent the taller girl a worried look.

"Was it too soon? I thought that maybe-"

"Chiyo," Her wings, which had been flapping in nervous anticipation, froze. She felt her fingers still, as the girl in front of her seemed to brighten.

"Chiyo," She repeated, cheeks puffing with pride. "I've never been on a first name basis like this before. I hope I'm not being too forward-"

Chiyo wrapped her arms around Yaoyorozu, giving her a crushing hug.

"Momo, you're too good," She replied, tilting her head upwards. "We're friends. You're not being forward at all,"

The girl just nodded her head.

The two of them stayed up there for a few moments, watching the scenery in front of them.

"... Chiyo?"

"Yeah Momo?" The taller girl looked hesitant for a moment. She pursed her lips together, before steeling herself and looking down at Chiyo once more.

"The person you loved, what were they like? If you don't mind me asking,"

 _("You're so cool Chiyo-chan-)_

Chiyo smiled softly, as the wind whipped against her cheeks.

"They deserved so much better than what they got,"

* * *

Ever since she was born, the world had been cloaked in silence.

She had never heard her mother or father's voice. Never heard her own voice, even. The only 'sound' she had been greeted with was the sensation of her own heart beating in her chest.

Her father had named her Hotaru, his little firefly that would always be able to light up the way. She looked down at her hands, the way they glowed just like his had. The way their eyes would light up in the same way.

Her father had died when she was seven. Her mother might as well have.

Hotaru's parents had been pro heroes, talented at their trade and respected by many.

The Illuminating Hero: Solaris was a great hero, saving multiple lives before he tragically lost his own. The Manipulation Hero: Puppet Master, was seen as a trailblazer. Losing the usage of her legs and her husband in one fell swoop. She had retired from her profession with honor.

No one ever mentioned Hotaru.

Hotaru was the forgotten child, the unwanted child. Someone who was nothing more than an inconvenience.

She saw it in her mother's eyes whenever she looked at her. A sea of deep green that wanted nothing to do with her.

She remembered helping her mother into the car, moments after returning from a doctor's appointment. The villain who had decided to wreak havoc in the street. The longing that was present in her mother's eyes as the local heroes rushed in to stop them. Hotaru had clenched her fist.

 _'I want to do that,'_ she had signed to her mother. Something burning bright in her chest. _'I want to-_ '

Her mother had grabbed her hands, stopping her in her tracks as she roughly pulled Hotaru to sit down. Her eyes were severe.

 _'No,'_ Her mother had signed back. _'You will never become a hero, Hotaru'_

Like any conversation with her mother, the discussion ended with that.

It didn't mean she gave up, however.

 _(Grey eyes that had gone through so much, but had always managed to muster a smile for her-)_

 _'It's what you want isn't it?"_ He had signed to her one evening. ' _Who cares what your hag of a mother says?"_

She loved him for it.

She winced, as a body much smaller than her own slammed her to the ground. Red eyes gave her an unimpressed look, as her skin seemed to glisten with sweat.

Chiyo grabbed her by the scruff of her shirt, and pulled her to her feet. Golden eyes narrowed as she got back into a fighting position. Chiyo smirked, the notion making her look even more beautiful Hotaru admitted begrudgingly.

 _'Again,'_ She signed, before charging.

* * *

Final Exams appeared with a vengeance.

A dark aura seemed to encompass her, as she hurriedly filled in the answer to each question. Her wings flapping ever so slightly in a violent manner.

"Pencils down," Chiyo slammed hers on the table, her bangs shadowing over her face.

Kirishima let out a yawn, as he laughed at the expression on her face.

"You look dead," The redhead stated, poking at her forehead. "You alright?"

Chiyo just grunted, feeling completely and utterly drained. She gingerly placed her head down onto the table, as Mina and Kaminari jumped up from their seats in unison.

"I don't think I failed at least!" He sent Yaoyorozu a bright smile. "I owe you Yaomomo! Let me treat you after finals? I _guess_ you can come too, Chiyo,"

Chiyo just flipped him off, her head firmly placed on the desk. Yaoyorozu gave him a soft smile, but shook her head.

"There's no need for that, I'm just happy I was able to be of service," The girl replied happily, ignorant of the downtrodden look on the boy's face.

"All that's left is the practical," Tsuyu stated, stretching out her arms. "Are you up for it Chiyo-chan?" Chiyo slowly raised her head, and granted the frog like girl a shaky thumbs up.

"All I need is some food in my system, then I'm _golden_. I only had a glass of orange juice for breakfast this morning," Iida stiffened at that from across the room, before turning to Chiyo in one fluid motion.

"Koumori-kun!" He stated, moving his arm in a robot like motion. "That isn't a proper breakfast, especially for an exam as monumental as this one-"

Chiyo placed her head back on her desk.

* * *

"It's time for the practical test,"

Her legs bounce unbeknownst to herself, as she digs her claws into her palms. Aizawa and the rest of the teachers stood in front of them, looking slightly menacing in a sense.

 _(I thought we were fighting robots-)_

"I expect you all gathered information about the exams," Aizawa drawled, looking slightly smug. Kaminari and Mina seemed to brighten at that.

"We're fighting robots!"

"Fireworks, s'mores-"

" _This years test will be changed for many reasons!"_

Mina froze mid sentence, as something began to move in Aizawa's scarf. Chiyo folded her arms as Nezu made his presence known.

Chiyo felt she should've been more surprised, more worried, more… more _anything_ than what she was at that moment.

She just felt more motivated.

She tugged on her gloves, as they explained the rules of the exams. As they listed off the partners.

Mina tackled her with a hug once they were announced to be working together.

"We're gonna kick some serious ass Chiyo-"

"You two will be paired against Principal Nezu," Aizawa relayed, his voice carefully blank.

Mina quieted immediately, as their tiny principal seemed to straighten out.

"Whose ass are you planning to kick Ashido-kun?" The principal said sweetly, sipping his tea. Mina's shoulders dropped, as Chiyo assessed the mouse in front of them.

 _(He's mostly a strategic fighter, so we can't just fight our way through on this one. Mina's not the most strategic, but we should be fine. Not like he'll try and off us-)_

Chiyo steeled herself, as Aizawa read off the rest of the partnerships. Nezu just waved cheerfully at the two of them.

 _(Scratch that, we're screwed. The smart ones are always the scariest-)_

* * *

 **Poll Results:(Closed! Second poll is now up!)**

 **Todoroki(58 votes)**

 **Mirio(53 votes)**

 **Yaoyorozu(36 votes)**

 **Shinsou(34 votes)**

 **Bakugou(33 votes)**

 **Izuku(23 votes)**

I plan to close the first poll, and post a second poll with the top three options(Todoroki, Mirio, and Yaoyorozu). There were a lot of Chiyo x Yaoyorozu moments this chapter(Still need a ship name for them) but I promise the other ships will get some love too. I plan to close the second poll once the overhaul arc pulls up.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Hiroto and Mizuki will come back next chapter, Chiyo will make up with both of them. We got a bit of Hotaru's backstory, insight into the type of relationship Mizuki and Hanami had, and some revelations on Chiyo's part which I feel were pretty obvious. A lot of you guys wondered about this, but I never answered it out right. Yes, Chiyo was in love with Hanami. Hanami was her first love and that's one of the reasons why she has such a severe reaction to her compared to Toga. Even though Toga isn't mentioned as much as Hanami, Chiyo did still care for her. Onto the questions!

Things You Guys Said:

 **NOOOOOOOOO. WHY WOULD U DO THAT!** X The plot called for it.

 **Will Chiyo tell him the truth?** X She will eventually, it'll be an emotional scene for the both of them.

 **"Do you trust me?" That just instantly gave me Aladdin and jasmine vibes XD and I love it cause I ship Chiyo and Yaoyorozu. Tho I get the feeling it probably won't happen which makes me sad :( but I shall dream! Love the story so far, makes me laugh and cry sometimes at the same time! I'm glad I have more chapters to read! Was gonna wait until the end to review but had to make the Aladdin comment.** X You got quite a few moments this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading!

 **sorry but im out, its a good realistic story but too realistic, that it just kills my enjoyment of it, she dosnt even feel like the main character to me she dose nothing but pity party and yes i get its a part of her character arc and realism trauma ect. But it doesn't make it any less tedious, at this point im just skipping through chapters rather than reading them. don't get me wrong as a stand alone fic with the Theme of a super hero world its a good piece of writing 8/10 but as a MHA fic it just feels like a tedious slog of pity and angst. To put it simply i came to read a shonen fanfiction and got a character study bye hope** X Thanks for reading the story, but I've said multiple times that this story wouldn't be a happy one all the time. Chiyo has PTSD, something that can't just be brushed aside. This story does serve as a character study because while there's some action, this story is chronicling Chiyo's growth as well.

I'm sorry I didn't put all of your comments, but I appreciate every single one. Even the critical ones.

Questions I have for you:

What do you guys think a good ship name for Chiyo x Momo is?(Chomo, Chimo, Chao, Moyo?)

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and Happy Earth Day!_


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _He remembered waiting at the playground._

 _Everyday, without fail he would wait. Nestled under the slide as rain would fall around him. As snow would coat his boots._

 _He would wait for that warm smile._

("Don't be such a crybaby, Zuki-kun,")

 _He felt someone sit down next to him._

 _She was a plain girl, Mizuki noticed. The only interesting thing being her eyes, golden orbs with slightly amber flecks._

 _She had a notebook clutched to her chest. Stickers of the solar system littering the front, as blank golden eyes glanced over to him. Mizuki had just scowled at the sight._

 _Her smile made him freeze._

 _She wrote something down in that little notebook of hers, and gently placed it in his hands. She looked at him expectantly._

 _ **'My name's Hotaru. What's yours?'** was scribbled down on the lined paper. Mizuki just stared at it blankly, before giving the girl a rather fierce glare._

 ** _"What, are you mute? Why don't you ask me like a normal person instead of writing it down-"_**

 _The girl snatched the notebook back just as quickly as she gave it to him. She scribbled something else down, and gave Mizuki a sheepish look as she handed it back to him._

 _ **'I'm deaf. I can't hear what you're saying. Sorry for not explaining,'** The girl had written, rubbing the back of her head. **'My mum says I can be a bit scatterbrained at times,'**_

 _Mizuki didn't answer, and instead prompted to slide away from the girl, hoping she would get the message. The girl closed the distance quickly, however._

 _The girl sat quietly for a few moments, before shoving the notebook in his hand once more. With an angry sigh, Mizuki glanced down._

 _ **'You're very pretty,'** The girl had written down **'You'd look better with a smile on your face,'**_

 _Mizuki blushed slightly at that, before scoffing. He took the notebook and slowly wrote something down. The girl's face brightened at that as she looked over it. Her face fell quickly, however._

 _ **'You're the ugliest girl I've ever seen,'** was carefully written down. Hotaru gave Mizuki a baleful glare, before folding her arms._

 _ **'Yeah, yeah,'** The girl had replied. **'My mum's really pretty though. I look more like my dad,'**_

 _His heart clenched at the mention of parents._

(Their bodies had been strewn across the floor. Blood spilling out as he clutched at his own wounds-)

 _Hotaru seemed to bristle as tears streamed down Mizuki's face. His hands trembled._

 _The girl didn't write down anything more. She just sat next to the boy quietly, patting his back as he sobbed openly._

* * *

"This is so _annoying_!"

Chiyo ignored Mina's complaints, as she examined their surroundings. She couldn't see any openings.

Nezu had dropped the two into a maze, their test being that they had to use their brains to find a way out.

Chiyo would rather have been fighting All Might.

 _(Deku being thrown into a building-Baku vomiting as All Might slammed his fist into his stomach-)_

Chiyo shuddered at the reminder, as she retracted her previous statement.

She plopped down onto the ground, her wings sagging against the tiled floor as Mina gave her a look.

"Chiyo, you can't give up yet," the pinkette replied, pulling on the shorter girl's jacket. "We're being timed, y'know-"

"I'm not giving up," Chiyo replied, taking her arm back. The smell of strong antiseptic filled her nostrils as she covered her nose. "I'm _thinking_. They scrubbed the area completely clean, everything smells the same. There has to be some sort of clue hidden in here. Maybe a hidden door?"

Mina just folded her arms, as she looked around the room hurriedly. She eventually let out a groan.

"How the hell are we supposed to find a hidden door!" The girl cried out, banging her head against the wall "Everything looks exactly the same-"

It was at that moment, that the wall seemed to open up. Mina's jaw dropped, as she stared at what she had just caused. Chiyo patted her on the shoulder, and gave her a cheeky grin.

"Good job Mina-chin," Chiyo replied, as she looked on ahead. Multiple separate hallways laid in front of them. "You should have more faith in yourself, y'know,"

Mina remained silent, before letting out a tired sigh. She shoved Chiyo's shoulder startling a laugh out of the smaller girl.

"Oh shut up," She replied as they began to move forward. "What type of final exam is this? When the hell are we ever gonna be trapped in something like this-"

"It happens more often than ya think," Chiyo replied, folding her arms. She strained her ears as they continued to walk forward. "Hiroto told me back when he was working undercover, that there were a lot of times he had been kidnapped or had to figure out how to escape from a certain situation. It's only natural that heroes would probably experience something similar. We're not always gonna be able to fight our way out of situations, we have to think too-"

Chiyo froze as she realized exactly who she was talking about. She pursed her lips together slightly as she looked on ahead. Mina raised a brow at that.

"What's wrong?"

Chiyo didn't answer, but stopped abruptly instead. She quickly tugged on Mina's costume, and pulled the girl backwards. The pinkette stared at her with wide eyes, as she fell to the ground.

Mina scowled as she rubbed the back of her head.

"What the _hell_ Chiyo?"

Chiyo didn't answer, as she glared down at the floor. She quickly unsheathed her dagger, causing Mina to bristle slightly. The pinkette quickly looked around.

"Why are you- do you hear anyone?"

Chiyo remained eerily silent, as she slashed at the floor. Mina watched on in anticipation, and rubbed her head once she saw nothing happen. She gave Chiyo a nervous look.

"Chiyo are you sure you're alright? You've been acting weird lately-"

At that moment, tiny knives flung in front of them, barely missing Mina's nose. Chiyo smirked at that as Mina's jaw dropped.

"Our principals a sadistic bastard," Chiyo stated as she stretched her arms to the ceiling. She let out slight screeches, as she softly patted the walls. "He planted trap wires all over the area, and probably much more. It's impressive,"

"It's insane," Mina replied, as she hurriedly got up. She raised her hands, and quickly secreted acid from them. "C'mon, let's just bulldoze our way through,"

Chiyo flicked Mina's ear, and shook her head. She let out slight screeches and strained her ears. Her nose scrunched up slightly.

"If we 'bulldoze' our way through, that'll just make it worse. We have to be careful, _Pinky_ ,"

Chiyo ignored the ache that came with saying the name as Mina let the acid fall around her. She folded her arms, eyes narrowing, as she seemed to relax slightly.

"Yeah, yeah," The girl replied, as she became slightly more alert. "You're the brains here Sonic, just tell me what you need me to do,"

Chiyo cleared her throat for a moment, before sending Mina a slight smile.

"Cover your ears," The girl ordered, as she placed her dagger back onto her belt.

Mina blinked at that, but obliged easily enough. Yellow eyes watched on in slight excitement, as Chiyo seemed to mentally prepare herself for something.

"What do you plan to do-"

Chiyo screamed, as chaos erupted in front of them.

* * *

 _"Team Ashido and Koumori pass!"_

* * *

Chiyo rubbed at her throat, as her and Mina finally made their way out of the maze. Her pink haired companion let out a breath of relief, as she dropped to her knees, sweat coating her brow.

"Finally," The girl cried out, as she touched the ground. Grabbing at handfuls of dirt. "Earth sweet Earth,"

Chiyo gave Mina a slightly unimpressed look, as she lightly tapped her side with her foot.

"Mina-chin, we were in the maze for _ten minutes_. It wasn't that bad," Mina jumped to her feet, and gathered Chiyo in a crushing hug. Chiyo didn't protest, and returned the hug easily enough as Mina grinned unrepentant.

"I'm allowed to be happy aren't I? I thought I'd fail,"

Chiyo pursed her lips at that, as she latched her hands onto Mina's horns. The pinkette let out a cry of pain at that.

"Watch it-"

"Have some more faith in yourself," Chiyo stated, not loosening her grip. "You're at one of the best schools in the country. Even if I wasn't here you would have passed,"

"That's exactly right Koumori-kun," The two girls jumped at the sudden voice, and straightened immediately. Principal Nezu stood in front of them, a soft smile on his face.

Chiyo cleared her throat, as Mina rushed to her feet.

"Congratulations on passing," Nezu stated, his hands primly behind his back. "You two did an incredible job,"

Chiyo preened slightly at the praise, as Mina rubbed the back of her head.

"It was mostly Chiyo," The pinkette admitted looking slightly ashamed. Chiyo slugged her in the shoulder at that.

"You were the one that found the door,"

 _"By accident-"_

"You both had parts in exiting the maze," Nezu stated, stopping the two girls from arguing. He turned an inquisitive eyes towards Chiyo. "However… I am curious as to what was going on in your mind Koumori-kun. What made you decide to do what you did?"

Chiyo rubbed her head, as the two stared at her expectantly. Chiyo cleared her throat, as her cheeks warmed slightly.

"Well… all the traps needed motion to set them off," Chiyo explained, as she fiddled with her piercings. "By sending sonar waves forward, it was enough movement to set the traps off and make it easier to move forward. It also allowed me to figure out where to go,"

She rubbed her shoulder slightly, trying to ignore the growing bruise on it.

"I didn't get all the traps, however," Chiyo admitted sheepishly "I got a bit careless. It was Mina that saved me when it came to that,"

Mina brightened slightly at that, as Nezu nodded his head.

"I'll admit, I am very surprised at the way you two handled this. You're a very good team,"

Chiyo blinked at that, before smiling softly. She fiddled with her hands for a moment, as Mina grinned down at her.

"Well, we've always been a good team," Mina stated, rubbing her nose sheepishly. "That's nothing new,"

The principal nodded his head at that, as he once again gave them a proud smile.

"Good job," he stated as he walked away from the two. "You pass,"

Chiyo grinned at that, as her and Mina high fived.

* * *

 _(It was finally time for summer vacation)_

* * *

"Congratulations on passing your final exams,"

Chiyo didn't respond at first, instead looking intensely at the display case for the flower shop. She eventually allowed a tiny smile to overtake her, as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Thank you," Chiyo stated softly, folding her arms. Amber eyes glanced down at her, before grabbing her in a headlock.

"What's up with that lackluster greeting," Hawks stated, an eyebrow raised. He ground his knuckles into the top of her head. "They have a whole celebration for you back at the house. Asami's getting all pissy cause you're not there,"

Chiyo stared at the man blankly, before looking down at her shoes.

"You didn't have to come," Chiyo stated eventually "You're busy with work, you don't have to waste your time with little old me,"

Hawks tightened his grip, as a smirk was placed on his lips.

"C'mon, your my _protege_ -"

"Tokoyami's your protege now," Chiyo retorted with a mournful sigh. "I'm nothing but chopped liver, _spoiled milk_. Toko-chan's the main dish,"

Hawks whistled at that, as he finally let go.

"He _was_ a much better listener than you," Hawks replied, hands stuffed into his pockets. "A bit close minded, though. Sides you have seniority,"

Chiyo just stuck her tongue out at him, garnering a laugh from the man. Her eyes landed on a bouquet of tulips.

"Why are you stuck here?" Hawks questioned eventually. "It's not good keeping everything to yourself y'know," Chiyo snorted at that, and pinned the man with a sardonic look.

"Pot meet kettle," Chiyo drawled. "You never let anyone in. Even when I thought I knew you, I didn't really _know_ you,"

"I'm an adult,"

 _"Barely,"_

Hawks flipped her off as he gestured to the neighborhood, imploring her to answer the question. His wings fluttered slightly. The neighborhood was more than a little rundown, with multiple abandoned buildings in the area.

Chiyo observed it wistfully.

"I used to live here," Chiyo stated pointing to one of the many abandoned lots. "Right over there, before it got shut down,"

Memories of playing in the local playground, of being carefree, of-

 _(Of him)_

"You're upset with uncle," Hawks stated, causing Chiyo to bristle. "When was the last time you even talked to him-"

"I talk to him plenty,"

"You grunt at him," Hawks said with an unimpressed look on his face. "It's depressing. You're too emotionally stunted to admit it, but you miss him,"

"I don't-"

"Yeah ya do," Hawks replied, sticking his pinky into his ear. "You miss him, and he misses you. Just admit it,"

Chiyo pursed her lips at that, as she folded her arms. She tapped her foot lightly on the sidewalk, as Hawks raised a brow at her. The man breathed out through his nose exasperatedly.

"He's proud of you, y'know. Said there was no doubt in his mind you'd pass with flying colors," Chiyo paused at that.

 _("You're a success story Chiyo-")_

"He was the first person I wanted to tell," Chiyo admitted, her wings wilting. "I wanted to tell him, I wanted to talk to him but-"

 _("You're amazing Chiyo-chan-")_

"Have you ever loved someone, Takahiro?" The man looked slightly surprised at the question, before a teasing smile overtook his face.

"Love? Is the princess experiencing her first heartbreak?" Chiyo slugged him in the shoulder at that, and narrowed her eyes.

"I'm _serious_. Other than yourself, have you loved someone?" Chiyo questioned fiercely. "Did they love you? How'd you realize it? How'd you deal with it? Did it end well-"

Hawks covered her mouth, immediately stopping her tirade. He let out an amused sigh, before ruffling the girls hair.

"No," He said simply, a slightly melancholic smile on his face. "I never really had the time for all that crap growing up. Too busy with other things,"

Chiyo smacked his hand away, and slowly nodded her head. Understanding passing through her red eyes.

The red winged man had never spoken much about his childhood. Always brushing it off with crude jokes or playful insults.

Chiyo didn't miss the hurt that ran through his eyes whenever it was brought up, however.

"Uncle helped save me y'know," Chiyo whipped her head up at that, as Hawks scratched at his cheek.

"It's true, he let me act like a kid," Hawks replied rubbing the back of his head. "Everyone else wanted me to be this perfect hero hopeful, but he was fine with me just being me,"

Hawks rubbed his nose, his feathers ruffling as he looked slightly embarrassed.

"He's a good man, uncle that is. I don't know what's going on with you two, but I'm sure it can't be so bad that you can't even speak to him,"

Chiyo turned around, and watched the quiet streets. The worn traffic lights blinking haphazardly. She breathed in the smell of old cigarettes, and alcohol. Her stomach constricted.

"He's… he's like a father to me," Chiyo admitted slowly. "I never really had anything like that before him,"

 _(Why did he have to lie-)_

"I… I'll talk to him tonight," Chiyo promised, standing up slightly taller. Her wings wilted momentarily. "I kinda have to, the I-island trip is coming up soon,"

"You excited?"

"Of course I'm excited," Chiyo drawled, sticking a pinky into her ear. "I love the idea of being trapped inside a metal box hundreds of feet up into the air,"

Hawks stared blankly at her for a few moments, before letting out a loud, raucous laugh.

 _"You're scared of flying-"_

"Oh shut up," Chiyo hissed, aiming another punch towards the man's shoulder. He dodged it effortlessly, sticking his tongue out at her in the process. "It's a valid fear! Anything can happen up there. At least when I'm flying by myself I have control,"

The man just kept laughing, easily avoiding all of Chiyo's swipes.

Eventually the girl just gave up.

"I hate you," Chiyo stated firmly, as she walked ahead of him. Hawks caught up to her fairly quickly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

 _"You love me,"_

Chiyo didn't argue with him.

* * *

She was greeted with the smell of vanilla and cinnamon, as she made her way into Asami and Akito's home.

Red hair tickled her cheek, as Asami gathered her in a hug.

"You're late," The woman scolded, pulling on her cheek for a moment. Asuka poked at Chiyo's calves, as the girl picked the baby up gently. "Where's Takahiro? I sent him out to get you-"

"Bird brain has work," Chiyo stated firmly swinging Asuka around. "I'm not gonna make him miss that,"

"He's a worse workaholic than Akito," Asami grumbled "He got called in to the hospital, and Saburou had an interview. Hinata's sleeping over at a friends house, and Hiroto-" Asami pursed her lips, as she sent Chiyo a furtive glance. Chiyo kept her face carefully blank. "Err… they all wanted to wish you luck. Hinata said he'd make it up to you," Chiyo nodded at that, as she took a look around. Yasuo, Masago, and Akane seemed to be involved in a rather intense game of Uno, as they all wished her congratulations. She could faintly hear Tsubaki humming in the kitchen. Chiyo smiled, as she wiped drool from Asuka's chin.

"Let me guess," Chiyo started off jokingly. "Kino's busy making out with her boyfriend. Natsuki was it?" A scoff broke Chiyo from her musings.

"It's Natsuo, actually," Chiyo froze. Her heart rate sped up as she passed Asuka off to Asami, ignoring the girl's whines. She slowly turned around.

Kino gave her a slightly unimpressed look, as she placed a hand on her hip. Her brown hair had gotten shorter, the style making her look freer in a sense. More approachable.

"Here I was thinking you'd be excited to see me," Kino drawled, folding her arms. "I _could_ go make out with Natsu if you want. He'd be more appreciative-"

The girl wasn't given time to finish her sentence, as Chiyo crushed the older girl in a hug.

She tightened her grip on the girl, as if she would disappear if Chiyo weren't careful. She felt her eyes start to water slightly.

Kino smiled, as she easily returned the hug.

"Missed you too,"

* * *

"When am I gonna meet this asshole?" Kino rolled her eyes, as she shoved Chiyo's shoulder.

"This weekend if you're free. And he's _not_ an asshole," Kino stated firmly. "He's sweet. He cares about the environment. He wants to _help_ people-"

" _Boring~"_ Chiyo sang out teasingly, giving the girl a shit eating grin. "I thought you of all people would go for a rebel,"

"Bad boys get annoying," Kino retorted, as she painted Chiyo's nails. "They're fun at first, but that's all they are. Natsu… I _like_ him. He makes me feel _warm_ y'know? Just like in the movies,"

Chiyo listened on, as she placed her face into her hands. Kino's eyes seemed to sparkle.

"He has a brother, y'know. He's about your age, and drop dead _gorgeous._ We could double date-"

" _Hell no,"_ Chiyo retorted smoothly, blowing on her freshly painted nails. "You are not setting me up with some random kid. I don't care how beautiful he is," Kino raised a brow, before smirking slightly.

"You worried he won't like you?"

"I could care less if he likes me or not," Chiyo replied giving Kino the stink eye. "You've changed, y'know. You're all love sick now. What happened? Do ya love him or something?"

Kino froze at that, before shrugging her shoulders.

"I care for him. I like being with him. Love isn't too far off, I think," Kino said softly, as a quiet sort of smile made its way onto her face. "He makes me _happy_ ,"

Chiyo stared at the girl, before snorting. She looked down at her feet for a moment, before freezing.

 _(She had loved Hanami-Hiroto- **Mizuki** )_

"Kino," Chiyo said hurriedly, giving the girl one last hug. "It was great seeing you. You're coming to I-island aren't you?" The girl bobbed her head.

"Wouldn't miss it-"

"There's someone I have to talk to," Chiyo stated, gathering her shoes. "I'll call you later, alright?" Kino's eyes widened, as she tightened the lid on the nail polish bottle.

"Chiyo-"

Chiyo abruptly closed the door.

* * *

"He's not there yet, but the brat has potential. He needs to learn how to listen, but we'll work on that,"

Hiroto just nodded his head, as he took a puff of his cigarette. His companion scrunched his nose at that.

"Thought you quit that after Kaede died," Hiroto watched the cloud of smoke in front of him.

"What can I say Hiko," Hiroto replied, as he dangled the cigarette between his fingers. "Old habits die hard. I only do it every once in a while,"

"Well quit it already," The man known professionally as Gran Torino grumbled "You wouldn't want to kick the bucket before your brat goes pro wouldn't you? What would she say if she found you like this? Wasn't there some type of party or something for her today?" Hiroto snorted, as he took another puff.

"She wouldn't want me there. She worked hard, and she should enjoy herself. Me being there would just piss her off," Hiroto relayed, as he begrudgingly put his cigarette out. Gran Torino whistled at that.

"The hell did you do now?" The elderly man questioned. "It couldn't have been that bad?"

Hiroto remained silent at that, before looking off into the distance. Fireflies lit up spectacularly, as the frown faded from Hiroto's face.

"Did you get any new info on him?" No specification was needed, as Gran Torino slowly nodded his head.

"Don't change the subject Hiro,"

"Mind your business Hiko," Hiroto retorted smoothly, "You said you heard something, spill,"

Gran Torino glared slightly at him, as Hiroto stared off into the garden. He let out a haggard sigh.

"Do you not know what it means to retire?" Gran Torino replied, swirling his drink in his hand. "You shouldn't be worrying about him-"

"As long as that bastard's still breathing," Hiroto stated firmly, "I'll always worry. Should've shot him when I had the chance,"

"As if that would've done anything,"

"It would've been satisfying," Hiroto retorted.

The area was eerily silent, as Hiroto finally put out his cigarette. He pressed his hands together, as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well-"

 _"Hiroto!"_ The aforementioned man jumped, as he looked back hurriedly. Gran Torino looked back in slight curiosity, as a loud noise erupted in the living room. Light curses were heard, as the patter of feet made their way closer to Hiroto's destination.

Red eyes were narrowed, sweat dripping down her brow as her chest rose up and down at a fast pace. Chiyo stood up straight, as Hiroto got to his feet.

"Chiyo-"

"I forgive you," Chiyo stated firmly, causing Hiroto to snap his mouth shut. "I forgive you for not telling me about Mizuki,"

"Chiyo-"

"I'm not finished," Chiyo stated holding one hand up. Hiroto blinked, as Gran Torino seemed to watched the scene with great amusement. "This needs to be said. Just because I ignored you doesn't mean you couldn't have talked to _me_. You didn't even look at me! You didn't even come to the party,"

"You wanted to be left alone-"

"Just because I said it didn't mean I actually _meant_ it!" Chiyo retorted heatedly. " _I wanted you there_. I say a lot of things but I don't _mean_ them. I was sad and I didn't want to be left alone," Hiroto just nodded his head slowly, looking slightly remorseful.

"I… I'm sorry Chiyo-"

"Don't apologize!" Chiyo interrupted as she hurriedly went to place her shoes back on. "I passed my final exams-"

"I expected nothing less," Hiroto said smoothly, as Chiyo's lips quirked up.

"And the I-island trip is in a week. I don't plan on going to a different country still pissed at you. I forgive you. Do you want me to say it in Spanish or English? I've been brushing up on both-"

Hiroto watched on in slight amusement as the girl seemed to talk a mile a minute. Gran Torino cleared his throat, as he hopped down from his chair. Chiyo froze at the sight of him.

"Sorahiko-san!" Chiyo squeaked, bowing her head. "I didn't see you there. How have you been? You look healthy. Excuse me but I have to go. Nice seeing you again!"

Chiyo bolted out of the house, barely even giving the older man a chance to retort. Hiroto watched the place she had just been standing, before letting out a loud booming laugh. Gran Torino just rubbed his head.

"It's like she's on overdrive," The man grumbled "She always like that?" Hiroto shrugged his shoulders, as a slight smile still painted his lips.

"Only when it matters," The man replied. He closed the door to the backyard, as something in him seemed to relax. He sent his companion a challenging look.

"Fancy a game of Shogi, Hiko?'

"And lose to you again? No thanks,"

* * *

Mizuki stared at the television in a slight haze. Re runs from that years Sports Festival still clouding the screen, as Hotaru watched on in interest.

He clenched his fist, as a familiar girl made her way onto the screen. Cheeky grin decorating her face, as she waved to the crowd.

 _(Tears streaming down her face like a waterfall. Looking at him with nothing but pity as she ran from him-)_

Mizuki turned the television off, as Hotaru glared at him petulantly.

 _"What the hell?'_ She signed, her brow furrowing. _'You turned it off at senpai's big debut,'_

"Who gives a damn?" Mizuki mumbled, picking up a book. Hotaru jumped up next to him, plucking the book from his hands as she stared at his lips. She shoved his shoulder lightly.

 _'Alright you big old sourpuss. What's up?'_ The girl questioned, eyes narrowing. ' _I'm not an idiot, y'know? Just because you're at the top of the class-'_

Mizuki poked Hotaru's forehead, as a soft smile made its way onto his face. The girl blushed slightly.

' _You're not an idiot,'_ He signed back, as he handed her the remote. ' _You're a lot smarter than I'll ever be,'_

The girl didn't answer for a few moments, before folding her arms. She turned the TV back on.

 _'Don't you forget it,'_ She replied stubbornly knocking his shoulder. _'But… it has to do with senpai doesn't it? Did she reject you or something?'_ Mizuki's face soured automatically.

 _'As if I'd be caught dead going out with that,'_ Mizuki replied. Hotaru aimed a swipe at his head.

 _'Don't insult her! You'd be lucky to get a girl like that,'_ Mizuki just stared at the television screen, as the aforementioned girl proceed to kick her opponent in the face. She looked… _radiant_.

Mizuki shuddered slightly.

 _'I'd rather die,'_ He replied, placing his hands behind his head. ' _I could do a lot better than that-'_

Mizuki froze, as he turned his attention back to the screen. He saw electricity begin to engulf the tiny girl's person. She froze momentarily, as she seemed to bite her lip. Her eyes seemed to light up, as she moved despite the pain.

 _(What the hell is she-)_

There was a knock on the door.

Mizuki ignored it at first, his eyes still transfixed on the screen. The person wouldn't relent, however.

"I'll be out in a minute Osamu," Mizuki called. The knocking still wouldn't cease, and eventually Mizuki let out a rather annoyed breath as he went to open the door.

"What is it-" He felt small, but muscular arms wrap around his abdomen.

Chiyo smelled like apples.

Mizuki froze, as the girl seemed to tighten her grip around him. She eventually relented, and pulled back with a slightly embarrassed look on her face.

"Mizuki-kun," Chiyo started off, her foot in the doorway. "Before you slam the door in my face, just hear me out-"

"The programs over," Mizuki stated firmly, glaring down at her. "You don't have to be here-"

"I want to be here," Chiyo retorted, causing Mizuki to pause. "I know you don't believe me, but I like spending time with you. I miss your smart ass remarks, and how you were always able to keep me on my toes. There's so much I have to tell you-"

Mizuki raised a hand, causing the girl to pause. He pressed a hand to his temple, as the girl stared up at him expectantly.

 _("Who was she-")_

"My sister," Mizuki replied, leaning against the door frame. His grey eyes narrowed, as he noticed Chiyo flinch. "She makes you uncomfortable. Why?"

Chiyo didn't answer at first, a myriad of emotions making their way through her eyes. Eventually Chiyo sagged, as if a great weight was lifted from her shoulders.

She wrapped an arm around his, her nails a freshly painted red. She smiled up at him, staring straight into his eyes.

 _(She had never been able to look into his eyes-)_

"Walk with me, please?"

* * *

I can't believe we finally reached 30 chapters! We've passed **500** favorites, and I'm incredibly grateful to all of the people that have read this story. Thanks for the support! In this chapter we finished Final exams, and hopefully resolved a few things. Next chapter will begin the movie events, which will take about 2-3 chapters. Then it'll finally be time for the summer training camp.

Recently in the manga we got Toga's true backstory, which while interesting, won't be used in this fanfic. That was one of the main reasons I placed this story as semi-AU. Not everything is going to go according to canon. I'm saying this now so no one is confused later on.

 **Poll:(Closing this around the overhaul arc)**

 **Yaoyorozu (Their ship name will be MoChi) 20 votes**

 **Mirio (Hasn't had many moments lately. Will be remedied soon) 16 votes**

 **Todoroki (Mentioned slightly this chapter) 11 votes**

Things you Guys Said:

 **Oooooo. Training Camp is coming soon along with Toga. Oooooooo.** X Hope I can do this arc justice!

 **Yeah I figured Hanami was her first love but wasn't completely sure. It makes a lot of sense and I like that storyline. I wonder how the future will go with Mizuki and Chiyo. Can't wait for the next chapter!** X Yeah I was hinting at her being in love with Hanami for a while. It's one of the main reasons Hanami has such a hold on her, first loves are always the strongest and hardest to get over.

 **It's only getting better and she is only getting better and I can't wait for her story to rear it's ugly head again and for her to slay the world of villains like the queen she is. Will her whole class ever learn her story? I can't wait to see who is gonna get close enough for her to tell them her story.** X Chiyo will open up to her classmates, but it definitely won't be intentional.

 **aaah the shipping was /strong/ in this chapter. for ship names my first thought was ChiYao but then i realized that MoChi (mochi!) was an option. I rlly love how you're writing Chiyo and the way she handles her past! Tattoos and piercings are actually pretty common after ppl get out of situations like that, and progress on that sort of thing is never linear, so seeing her struggle and backslide is rlly refreshing and kinda a relief considering these things are rarely covered on such a large-scale time period, in both canon material and fanfic. keep it up, hope to hear from u soon!** X They're all apart of the process. I'm glad that you're enjoying Chiyo!

Didn't answer all the reviews, but I appreciate them all the same! Thanks for reading!

Questions:

Any questions you have for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia

* * *

 _"Do you have any family, Chiyo-chan?"_

 _She remembered her face souring at the question._

 _"Not really," She had replied lowly, poking Toga's cheek as the other girl snored. "Just my mom and me. Don't need anyone else,"_

 _Hanami had hummed at that, as her grey eyes seemed to dim. It put Chiyo slightly on edge._

 _"What about you?" Chiyo questioned eventually, taking the girl's hands in her own. Hanami seemed slightly surprised at the sudden contact. Chiyo placed a lopsided grin onto her face. "Got any annoying siblings to go back to-"_

 _ **"They're dead,"** Chiyo froze at the curt interruption._

 _Hanami had looked solemn, her hair acting as a curtain around her face as her hands trembled._

 _"I got my regeneration quirk from my mom," Hanami whispered, her fists clenching around Chiyo's own. "But… it wasn't enough. They just kept hurting her until she couldn't hurt anymore. Until she-"_

 _Tears started to stream down Hanami's face, as she hunched forward. Her shoulders began to shake._

 _"They're all gone," She had whispered. "I never got to say I love you to them before- before-"_

 _The girl couldn't even finish her sentence._

 _Chiyo was at a loss for words, not used to the girl breaking down in such a way. She patted the girl's shoulder helplessly, thinking of the next best course of action._

 _(Nadeshiko's warm comforting arms had surrounded her-)_

 _Chiyo gathered Hanami in a hug._

 _The notion felt foreign to the both of them. Hanami had ceased crying, and remained frozen in place for a few moments._

 _Chiyo's brain had started to short circuit._

 _(what the hell had she just done-)_

 _"Chiyo-chan," Hanami started, sounding so hopelessly confused. "What are you doing?"_

 _Chiyo didn't answer at first, and only tightened her grip._

 _The two sat like that for a few moments more, until Chiyo finally decided to speak._

 _"A hug," She said briefly. "You seem like the type that would like them,"_

 _Hanami hummed at that, before eventually returning the gesture._

 _"Thank you, Chiyo-chan," Hanami whispered into Chiyo's ear. "Thank you,"_

 _Chiyo didn't respond, and remained silent as the girl let out the rest of her tears._

* * *

 _(It was times like these she wishes she could talk to Hanami. Tell her that her family wasn't gone-)_

* * *

She let Mizuki lead the way.

Hotaru had practically pushed the boy out of the room once she noticed who was at the door. The girl then proceeded to sign something to the boy, and lock him out of his own room.

Chiyo's respect for the girl increased tenfold.

They walked silently on the streets, as the sun began to set. Her wings twitched slightly in anticipation, as the boy in front of her remained eerily silent.

Chiyo felt a great sense of dread, as she noticed them starting to near a cemetery.

Mizuki pulled something out of his pocket, and nodded to an elderly woman that was standing not too far from them. Chiyo straightened automatically as the woman practically ran towards them.

"Mizuki-kun!' the woman called out, pulling the boy down for a hug. She peppered his face with kisses "I swear, you grow more and more each time I see you. Where's Gin-san?"

Mizuki smiled softly, an expression that seemed to lighten up the boy's face.

"A pleasure to see you again Miwa-san," Mizuki said respectfully. "Gin couldn't make it this time. How are the grand kids?"

"Same old, same old," The woman prattled fondly. "They're driving me crazy!"

"I'm glad to hear that," Mizuki replied softly. He sent a look towards the gravestone she had just been near. "How's Hibiki?"

The woman's face seemed to drop at that, before rising once more.

"I can still hear him," The woman whispered, looking back at the headstone she had just been near. A bittersweet smile came over her face. "He's… he's doing fine,"

"With you to keep him company, he'll always be fine," Mizuki replied rubbing his nose. Miwa let a laugh out at that.

"With my age, I'll be joining him soon!" The woman let out, as she laughed rather crudely. "It's only a matter of time,"

"Don't say that," Mizuki reprimanded. "Knowing you, you'll probably outlive me,"

Miwa smiled warmly at that, crows feet placed elegantly on her eyes showing that she had aged gracefully. She turned an eye towards Chiyo, and elbowed Mizuki not so subtly.

"Who's the girl, Mizuki-kun?" Miwa teased, smiling slightly at Chiyo. "You finally decided to use those good looks of yours and snag a girlfriend-"

"She's not my girlfriend-I'm not his girlfriend," Mizuki and Chiyo said simultaneously. Miwa seemed to sag at that.

"Oh what a shame," Miwa replied, looking slightly disappointed. She leaned towards Mizuki and 'whispered' "What the hell are ya _doing_ Mizuki?! She's so pretty too,"

Chiyo's cheeks flushed at that, as she looked down to the ground. She rubbed at the freckles on her nose.

Mizuki just laughed nervously, and shook his head.

"I'm sorry to disappoint, Miwa-san," Mizuki started off softly. "But I'm not really interested in that right now,"

Miwa pouted slightly, before patting Mizuki on the back.

"You still hung up on the deaf girl?" The elderly woman questioned, folding her arms. Mizuki blushed slightly, but didn't deny the accusation. Miwa sighed at that, and patted the boy's shoulder. "Sorry, Mizuki-kun. She seems like a real piece of work if she still hasn't figured it out. I better be the first to know when you finally break through that skull of hers," Miwa warned, wagging a finger at the boy. Mizuki chuckled at that.

"You'll be one of the first to know," He promised, waving at the woman as she walked out the cemetery.

Chiyo watched the exchange, and glanced at Mizuki from the corner of her eye. He was resolutely not staring in her direction, however.

He walked some more, as Chiyo hurried behind him. His feet seemed to blur into the ground as the sun began to set even more.

Eventually Chiyo broke her silence.

"Mizuki-kun!" She called out, hurrying after him. "What are we doing here? What's going-"

Mizuki stopped abruptly.

The boy turned towards a gravestone, his brows furrowed as he bent down next to it. Chiyo felt her stomach begin to flip.

 _(No no no I'm not ready-)_

"Hello Nami-neesama," Mizuki stated, causing Chiyo's blood to run cold. Mizuki traced the words on the headstone gently. "I'm sorry I haven't been to visit you lately. I've had a lot on my mind,"

The cemetery was silent, but Chiyo felt goosebumps litter her arm. Almost as if the grave had answered.

"My sister was declared dead seven years ago," Mizuki stated firmly, addressing Chiyo for the first time in a long while. "She was missing for about nine or ten. They said they could never find her body,"

 _(Chiyo held her cold lifeless corpse-)_

Chiyo dropped to her knees, as her hands trembled slightly. She looked to Mizuki for permission.

"May I-"

"How do you know my sister?" Mizuki stated, staring straight at the headstone. "Why was your reaction so strong to this picture?"

He placed the picture down on the ground. The picture of her smiling so happily. Filled with so much life. Chiyo felt her chest tighten at that.

 _(What do you say in this situation? "Hey there, me and your sister were torture buddies," "I was in love with your sister" "I couldn't save your sister-")_

"Mizuki," Chiyo started off slowly. "There's so much that I need to tell you. So much that you should know,"

 _(Green eyes stared down at her menacingly-)_

"But I can't," Chiyo croaked, causing Mizuki to close his eyes. "I will, I promise I will soon. I just…" Chiyo trailed off, as Mizuki finally looked her in the eyes. Grey eyes pleading with her.

 _(Her eyes were pleading with her-)_

"All I remember," The boy started off slowly, as he stared down at his hand. "Is strange men breaking into my house and killing my parents right in front of me,"

Chiyo flinched at that, as the boy clenched his fist.

"They tried to kill me too. They said I was useless because I didn't have my quirk yet," he explained, looking at his sister's headstone. "That was how I found out about my quirk. Regeneration, just like hers. I… was so excited about having the same quirk as her. That was all I had wanted. I just wanted to be like her,"

"Mizuki-"

"She was my sister," Mizuki said finally, bowing his head, "I loved her more than anything. I just… Senpai I just want to know what happened to her. Was she _happy_?"

Chiyo remained silent, as she stared down at her hands. Her wings shuddered slightly, as she clenched her fists.

"Please," The boy implored, grey eyes shining.

 _(He deserves to know-)_

Chiyo let everything out.

* * *

 _(She told him everything. About Adachi, the lab, Toga. The training exercises, the tests. Boss. About what they were forced to do. What they were being bred to become-)_

* * *

Her chest moved up and down, as she placed her head in her hands. Mizuki looked sick.

Hanami's grave sat between them, almost as if it were a mediator of sorts.

 _(A grave without a body-)_

"Now you know," Chiyo replied, struggling to keep it together. The area was now pitch black, as she gripped at her shorts. She looked down at the scars that covered her thighs. "Go ahead. Punch me, curse at me. Whatever you need to do-"

Mizuki hugged her.

She felt something wet seep onto her shoulders, as Mizuki's breath became slightly labored. Chiyo's mouth parted in shock.

 _(He doesn't hate me, he doesn't hate me-)_

"You… don't hate me?" Chiyo questioned, her voice barely above a whisper. Mizuki just tightened his grip.

"Shut up," He grouched, his voice thick with emotion. Eventually he sagged against her. "Just… just shut up,"

Chiyo hummed at that, her chest brimming with nothing but pure relief.

 _(Do ya hear that Pinky? Your brothers still here-)_

"You're such a crybaby, Zuki-kun," Chiyo teased, a bright grin etched onto her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. She returned the hug easily enough.

Mizuki responded to that, by crying harder.

* * *

 _("Your sister loved you, Zuki-kun-")_

* * *

"I _mean_ it Chiyo-"

"I'm not gonna try and scare him," Chiyo grouched, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Even though she had placed her hair into a bun that afternoon, a few strands still got loose. She sent Kino an innocent look. "Sides, I'm just a harmless little girl. If he's scared of me, you need to find yourself a new boyfriend,"

Kino pinched Chiyo's ear at that, and gave her a look.

"Don't kid yourself, Chiyo," Kino replied, an easy smile on her face. "We both know you're not harmless,"

Chiyo just grinned impishly at that.

"At least you realize it," She replied, folding her arms. "Where _is_ this mystery guy anyway?"

Kino stared ahead for a few moments, before her dark eyes seemed to lighten. She subconsciously went to fix her hair.

"That's him," Chiyo immediately went to follow her line of sight.

The first word that came to mind when she saw Natsuo, was familiar. His grey eyes seemed cheerful, happy. Something Kino desperately needed.

 _(Where have I seen those before-)_

Chiyo let out a deep breath, as Kino called out to him. The boy turned his head, and ran a hand through his hair as his cheeks pinked slightly at the sight of Kino.

Chiyo felt her chest tighten, as Kino seemed to melt at the sight of him.

 _(They were in love. Even if Kino didn't want to admit it. Even if-)_

Chiyo smiled.

She watched silently, as Natsuo pressed a quick kiss to Kino's cheek. She looked over her outfit, and shook her head at her own stupidity.

She had dressed herself to the nines that afternoon. Heels, lipstick, everything. All in hopes of looking slightly more intimidating. She pulled out a napkin, and hurriedly went to wipe the lipstick off.

Natsuo stared in her direction, and granted her a blinding smile. He reached a hand towards her.

"Chiyo-chan, right? A pleasure to finally meet you," Chiyo grinned at that and nodded her head. She took his hand easily enough, and shook it with plenty of fervor.

"You too Natsu," Chiyo replied, fiddling with her piercings. "I was expecting a total dud, to be honest. You're way more interesting though,"

Kino snorted at that, as Natsuo let out a slight chuckle. It was light, and it reminded Chiyo of the sound of bells.

"Well I'm glad I didn't disappoint," Natsuo replied, the same effortless grin etched onto his face. Chiyo found herself returning it.

 _(Warm, inviting- We need more people like this in the world-)_

"Me too,"

* * *

Chiyo spat out her drink.

Kino gave her a look of disgust, as she went to pass her a napkin.

"Chiyo that's disgusting-"

" _Who_ did you say your brother was?" Chiyo questioned, slamming her hands on the table. Natsuo blinked at that, before laughing nervously.

"Ah, Shouto. Shouto Todoroki. He looks really serious all the time, but he's a good kid. If you see him, please take care of him," Natsuo replied, passing the girl another napkin. "He could use a friend like you, I think,"

Chiyo numbly nodded her head.

 _("He has a brother, y'know. He's about your age, and drop dead gorgeous-")_

"Of course," Chiyo mumbled to herself, as she stared at Natsuo once more. "It just had to be him,"

 _(They had the same eyes. To-chin, Rei-san, and him. The same beautiful-)_

"You have beautiful eyes, Natsu-san," Chiyo mumbled, as she propped herself up. The boy looked slightly surprised at that.

"Ah, thank you," The boy replied, rubbing the back of his head. "You as well,"

Chiyo smiled at that, as the cogs turned in her head.

* * *

 _(She'd have to enlist To-chin in messing with the two. Just because she approved didn't mean she wasn't gonna tease them every chance she got-)_

* * *

Chiyo stared down at her phone, as the girls chattered around her. She felt someone loom over her shoulder.

"Oh, Shinsou-kun," Mina started off rather dramatically, causing Chiyo to roll her eyes. "What will I ever do without you, my love?"

Chiyo threw a pillow at her face as she sat up straight. The other girls chuckled at that, as they sat in numerous places in Chiyo's room.

"I'm not wrong~" The pinkette replied, placing her hands behind her head. "You two need to get locked in a closet or something, cause the tension is off the charts-"

"Gross, Mina" Chiyo replied, as she sifted through her suitcase. She pursed her lips for a moment, before shaking her head. "I'm just letting him know what time I'm leaving. Shin-chan's like… like an annoying younger brother. He needs surveillance 24/7 or he'll end up accidentally hurting himself,"

Mina pouted at that, as she picked up a rather revealing, two piece bathing suit that was the exact same shade of Chiyo's eyes. Chiyo looked over it in contemplation, before shrugging her shoulders.

"Why not?" Chiyo questioned as she threw the bathing suit into her suitcase. Tooru whistled at that, as she looked through Chiyo's closet.

"I didn't think you had anything like that, Chiyo-chan," The invisible girl said, as she perused Chiyo's clothing. "It doesn't suit you,"

"Asami got me that for my birthday," The bat girl relayed, laying her head down on her pillow. "Said that I was starting to become a 'woman' and should dress like it," Jirou snorted at that.

"No offense Mori," Jirou replied, holding up one of Chiyo's many stuffed animals. Her earphone jack curled around it. "But I don't think you're a woman just yet,"

Chiyo stuck her tongue out at the girl, causing her to snort. Tsuyu hummed, as she too went to look in Chiyo's closet.

"I have to say, Chiyo-chan," The frog girl started off, her finger pressed to her chin. "That I agree with Kyoka-chan. You're not exactly the most feminine, _ribbit_ ,"

"I know, I know,' Chiyo replied, placing her head into her hand with a sigh. "But who cares about any of that stuff?" Ochako nodded her head, as she looked through an old photo album. Her eyes widened slightly, as she stopped at a particular page.

"Wow, Chiyo-chan," The girl breathed, as she turned the album towards the rest of the inhabitants in the room. "She's beautiful,"

Chiyo listened on as the other girls inspected the picture. Tooru let out an audible squeal.

"Is that your mom, Chiyo-chan? An older sister? She's like… an older more refined version of you,"

Chiyo chuckled at that, before nodding her head.

"That's my mom," Chiyo relayed, as she looked back towards her suitcase. "She's the real beauty. I'm just the knock off version," Mina grounded her knuckles into the top of Chiyo's head at that.

"Don't say that," The pinkette scolded, as she took a closer look at the picture. "You both have the same look in your eyes," Chiyo rubbed her head, as she looked at the picture as well.

"And what look would that be?"

"It's like… it's like a fire that won't be put out," Mina concluded, causing Chiyo to raise an eyebrow. Mina grinned at that. "It's one of the reasons you're so scary at times,"

Chiyo took another look at the picture, before eventually looking away from it.

The fire had long since left Nadeshiko's eyes. It had instead been replaced with a constant look of confusion.

Even so, the woman was still breathtakingly beautiful.

 _(It wasn't the same, however. It would never be the same-)_

She looked at Yaoyorozu sitting in the corner, the girl looking around Chiyo's room in a slight state of awe.

"Mo-chan," Chiyo called out, as she flopped next to the girl. "You okay? I know my room's a complete mess-"

"Oh no," Yaoyorozu replied, shaking her head hurriedly. She placed a careful smile on her face. "Your room's marvelous!"

"You're just not used to it," Chiyo concluded. Yaoyorozu froze for a moment, before nodding her head slowly. She let out a haggard sigh.

"It's pretty… _lame_ isn't it?" The girl replied, hugging a pillow to her chest. "This is my first sleepover," Every inhabitant in the room gasped at that.

"Yaomomo," Mina gasped, as if the girl had said something unforgivable. "Why didn't you tell us? We could've done actual sleepover stuff instead of helping this lazy girl pack," She pointed a finger towards Chiyo, causing the girl to roll her eyes.

"I could've done it myself," Chiyo mumbled, putting her final items into her suitcase. "Not like I asked for your help-"

"You're leaving tomorrow, Chiyo-chan," Tsuyu stated bluntly, causing Chiyo to wince. "You needed help,"

"None of that matters now," Mina stated firmly, as she folded her arms. "We need to talk about _sleepover_ stuff,"

"What counts as 'sleepover stuff'?" Ochako questioned, as she put the album back on Chiyo's dresser. "Why don't we just talk like we usually do?" Mina and Tooru gasped in unison.

"Ochako-chan," Tooru started off, pressing an invisible hand to her heart. "That just won't do,"

"We're seven young girls together in one location," Mina concluded, clapping her hands together. "There's only one thing we can talk about,"

"And that would be?" Jirou started off, hoping for the two to elaborate. Mina grinned cheekily, as Tooru clapped her hands together. Chiyo rolled her eyes, as a feeling of dread settled in her stomach.

 _(of course-)_

"Who're you guys interested in?" The girls asked in unison. Tsuyu let out a sigh, as Ochako's cheeks turned slightly red. "Yaomomo, you start!"

Yaoyorozu blinked at that, looking reminiscent of a deer in headlights. She placed a rather sheepish smile on her face.

"Sorry to disappoint," The girl replied, placing her long her over shoulder. "But no one's caught my interest at the moment. I want to focus on my studies,"

Mina made an X motion with her arms, and shook her head.

"Yaomomo," Mina stated, taking the girl's hands in her own. "That's great and all, but what about when you become a pro? Don't you want someone you could come home to?" Yaoyorozu let out a slight laugh at that.

"That's a very long way off," The girl concluded. "But… I guess that would be nice as well,"

"See?" Mina said, giving Chiyo a pointed look. " _Someone_ gets it,"

"Mo could have anyone she wants," Chiyo replied, placing her head against the girl's shoulder. "You'd be an idiot to reject her," The girl blinked at that, before smiling beatifically.

"Thank you, Chiyo-"

"That's boring though," Tooru stated, crossing her arms. "I want to hear about actual crushes. Pining, going on dates-"

"Chako, what about you?" Chiyo questioned, giving the girl an inquisitive look. The brunette seemed to freeze. "Any crushes? What's your type exactly?"

Ochako seemed to fiddle with her hands for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders.

"I… I don't like anyone. But if I did… they'd have to be stable with money," Ochako concluded her face turning a bright red. "Dependable, and hardworking,"

Chiyo nodded at that, as she turned towards Tsuyu and Jirou.

"What about you two?"

"Good taste in music," Jirou said absentmindedly, as she looked over some of Chiyo's painting supplies. Tsuyu placed a finger to her chin in contemplation, before looking towards Chiyo.

"What about you Chiyo-chan?" Tsuyu brought forth, blank eyes inquisitive. "Is there anyone in our class you find attractive?"

Mina clapped her hands together, as she sent Chiyo a challenging look.

"Yeah, and you can't dodge the question. Who do you think the hottest person in our class is?"

Chiyo sagged, as everyone in the room turned towards her.

"Why me?" She questioned, as she fiddled with her piercings.

"Cause I say so," Mina replied, sticking her tongue out. Chiyo flipped her off, as she sat up slightly straighter.

 _(Beautiful people-Think of beautiful people-)_

"To-chin's gorgeous," Chiyo said bluntly, causing Yaoyorozu's eyes to widen slightly. "Baku has the most amazing cheekbones I've seen on a guy. Kami-sama's eyes are perfect, Toko-chan's voice makes me wanna _swoon_ -"

"You're just listing everybody off," Tooru complained, shoving Chiyo's shoulders. The girl shrugged her shoulders and just grinned impishly.

"What's wrong with appreciating everyone's good qualities? Class B's pretty interesting too, if ya ask me," Chiyo said innocently. "Hokenuki-san's a gentleman, Kendou-san's one of the prettiest people I've ever seen, Tokage-san has a killer personality-"

"Alright, we get it," Jirou stated, holding back a laugh. Chiyo grinned back at her, as she fiddled with her piercings.

"You're not bad yourself, Ro. You have this _exterior_ -"

Jirou threw a pillow at her, which then prompted the rest of the girls into a rather competitive pillow fight.

* * *

"Are your bags packed?" Chiyo scowled at the question.

"They're packed, the girls made _sure_ of that," The girl grumbled, as she moved a piece forward on the shogi board. "I can't _wait_ to get on that death machine," Hiroto chuckled at that, as he moved a piece forward as well.

"You're dramatic,"

"I'm realistic,"

"You've lost," Hiroto replied, as he succeeded in taking Chiyo's king. Chiyo glared down at the board as she let out an aggravated sigh.

"Of course I did," She stated, as she gingerly got up. "I always lose to you. It's like you enjoy torturing me," Hiroto shrugged his shoulders, as he went to clear the pieces off.

"Not my fault you're so predictable," The man said, as he placed the board in the corner of the living room. "If you get some new strategies, you might be able to beat me someday," Chiyo snorted as she placed her hands behind her head.

"Me? Beat you? Hiroto, I never realized how funny you were,"

Hiroto hummed at that, before his face turned more solemn. His hand froze for a moment, as he tucked the shogi board away.

"Did you talk to him?" There was no classification needed on who 'he' was.

Chiyo nodded her head slowly, as she paused on the staircase. The corners of her lips twitched upwards.

"I'm glad," he replied, as he made his way into the kitchen. "You two could help each other-"

"I loved her," Hiroto froze at the declaration.

He whipped his head towards Chiyo, and his eyes widened as she fidgeted with her hands, avoiding his gaze.

"That's why I was so angry with you," Chiyo relayed, eyes downcast. "I'm happy I got to meet Mizuki. It's like a part of her's still _here_. It's just…"

Chiyo took a deep breath as she finally rose her head.

"Being near him reminds me of all the things I should've said," Chiyo stated firmly. "All the things I should've done. I lost those chances-"

"You haven't," Chiyo blinked at the interruption.

Hiroto's eyes seemed to brighten, as the elderly man stood up straighter. He pinned Chiyo with a fierce look.

"I don't wanna hear that from you," The man reprimanded. "You're still young, you still have chances. Your first love is always the hardest to forget, but that doesn't mean your life is over,"

Chiyo nodded her head, as she forced out a laugh.

"Yeah, I know," She replied. "But… I don't see myself falling in love again. Not like that at least. It's an inconvenience,"

"You will," Hiroto said resolutely. "It may not seem like it, but you will,"

"Whatever you say, Hiro," Chiyo replied, letting out a yawn. "I have to get ready. Kino's coming to pick me up,"

"Chiyo," The girl froze at the firmness in his voice. She sent him a concerned look.

"Yes?" The man seemed to be contemplating something.

"When you do fall in love again-" Chiyo looked ready to protest, but Hiroto just held up a hand. "You will, _trust me_. Promise me something, okay?"

Chiyo looked at the man for a few moments, before shrugging her shoulders.

"Sure," She said nonchalantly. Hiroto gripped the kitchen door.

"When you love someone, I want you to scream it to the rooftops. Let that person know that they're second to none, that you can't live without them. Don't lie to yourself, don't compare them to anyone else. Enjoy their faults and their talents. Love them with all that you got,"

Chiyo looked slightly confused, as Hiroto plastered a bittersweet smile on his face.

"If you don't… I promise you'll regret it," He replied, as he made his way into the kitchen. He froze as Chiyo called out to him.

"Kaede-san," Chiyo stated slowly. Hiroto's fists clenched at the mention of his deceased wife, as Chiyo pursed her lips. "Is that… what you wish you did with her?"

Hiroto just smiled ruefully.

 _(Beautiful green eyes that haunted him slightly- "How could you-"-"I can never compare to her, can I?")_

"Every damn day,"

* * *

Blue eyes looked down at her in slight surprise, as Chiyo avoided his gaze. She held a bag of sweets up to him in one hand, and her suitcase in the other.

"Here," She said bluntly, shoving the bag into Mirio's chest. "Thanks for all the help you've given me this semester. I probably won't see you again until the next semester starts up, so I wanted to thank you properly,"

Chiyo placed her suitcase down on the ground, and bowed her head.

"Thank you for your guidance," Chiyo said formally, her wings flaring behind her.

Mirio stood in place for a few moments, and Chiyo fidgeted under his scrutiny. Eventually she peeked up at him. She raised a brow at him as she stood up slightly straighter.

"Well? Say _something_ -"

Mirio just let out a laugh, and proceeded to ruffle her hair.

"Why so formal, Koumori?" The blonde questioned, taking the bag into his hands. He grinned cheekily, as he held the bag up. "You're usually so…"

Mirio trailed off, as Chiyo just folded her arms.

"So what?" She demanded, tapping her foot slightly. Mirio just chuckled nervously.

"Feisty," The blonde supplied rubbing the back of his head. He put his hands up in a placating manner. "Nothing wrong with being feisty,"

Chiyo hummed at that, as she placed a hand on her hip. She looked across the street, only to see Kino pointing to an imaginary watch on her wrist. The elder girl mouthed the words 'hurry up'.

"That's my cue to go," Chiyo replied, sending Mirio a tired smile. She shoved her finger into his chest, as she looked up at him. "Have a good summer, senpai. You better not slack off. When I get back I want to beat you while you're at best,"

"Good luck with that" The blonde replied, with the same smile permanently etched into his face. Chiyo scowled at that.

"Don't _patronize_ me. I'm really gonna beat you one of these days,"

"Whatever you say," Mirio replied, in the same tone. Chiyo just rolled her eyes.

"Y'know Senpai," Chiyo started off, as she began to walk away. "You can be a real asshole, y'know that? I'm really going to win the next time we spar,"

Mirio just laughed, as he waved the girl off. Chiyo stuck her tongue out at him.

* * *

Chiyo kicked her feet up, as Masago whistled at the scene in front of them.

"First class?" The raven haired girl questioned, taking her glasses off. "Masaru's really making his way up there, isn't he?"

Chiyo nodded her head at that, as Kino gave the taller girl a slightly inquisitive look.

"Are you still in love with him?" She questioned, causing Akane to spit out her drink. Chiyo's eyes widened, as she sent Masago a look. The girl remained oddly composed, as she handed Akane a napkin.

"Really Masa?" The redhead questioned, wiping the corners of her mouth. "You had a thing for the monkey boy?"

Masago remained silent, and just shrugged her shoulders.

"He's a nice guy underneath all the rudeness," She settled on. "It was hard not to,"

"Are you still in love with him?" Chiyo questioned, sitting up straight. "Why the hell am I just learning about this _now_?"

"I was hoping you'd never know about it," Masago replied, leveling a slight glare at Kino. "I didn't want _anyone_ to know about it,"

"It was obvious," Kino replied, placing her hands behind her head. "You should've gone for it. I'm sure he liked you too-"

"Let's just drop the subject," Masago said curtly, pulling out a blanket from her carry-on. "He invited us to this amazing experience, and I'm not gonna ruin it because of a silly crush I _used_ to have on him,"

"Masa-"

"Drop it Akane," Masago replied, putting sunglasses on. "Wake me when we get there,"

Chiyo furrowed her brow at that, as she snatched the glasses off of Masago's face. The dark eyed girl glared at her.

 _"Chiyo-"_

"Nope," Chiyo popped, folding her arms. She passed the sunglasses off to Kino. "We barely have time to spend together! Tell me about your internship. It was at… Shueisha right? What was that like?"

Masago grumbled for a few moments, before sitting up slightly straighter.

"Kizuki-san was amazing," Masago admitted, as a slight smile came over her face. "She's so… charismatic! I learned so much about what I need to do to be a proper journalist,"

"Shueisha?" Kino questioned, her ears perking up. "I heard they're pretty selective,"

"What about it?" Masago said briskly. Kino placed her hands up in a placating manner.

"Nothing, I just think it's pretty amazing," Kino replied. She smiled at the taller girl. "Congratulations Masago, I'm happy for you,"

Masago froze for a few moments, before perking up slightly.

"Thank you Kino,"

Chiyo smiled at the scene, before bristling slightly. She let out a groan, as she wrapped a blanket around herself. Akane looked at her curiously.

"Chiyo, what's wrong-"

"The planes about to start moving," Chiyo replied, pulling her knees to her chest. Her eyes narrowed, as her wings flattened behind her. "I hate flying-"

"You have wings," Akane pointed out, touching the two extra appendages. Chiyo smacked her hand away.

"I hate flying in _these_. They're so constrictive," She prattled, leaning against her seat. Sure enough, the plane started to rumble slightly.

As the captain spoke on the intercom, Chiyo shuddered. With a roll of her eyes, Masago placed Chiyo's sunglasses over her eyes.

"Chiyo-chan, you can be really hopeless at times," The girl stated, placing a neck pillow behind Chiyo's head. "Go to sleep and I'll wake you when we get there," Chiyo looked up at her pleadingly.

"You're a lifesaver, Masa," Chiyo replied, leaning against the girl's shoulder. Masago just let out a long suffering sigh.

"Whatever," The older girl replied, pulling down her own shades. "You have a lot of nerve telling me not to sleep when that's all you're going to be doing-"

Chiyo already started snoring.

* * *

 **Poll:(Remember to vote! I'm closing this around the Overhaul Arc)**

 **1\. Yaoyorozu(Still in the lead! Got a moment this chapter)- 28 votes**

 **2\. Mirio(They finally had a moment this chapter, but sadly won't interact again for at least quite a few more)- 25 votes**

 **3\. Todoroki(Someone brought up that the other two ship names were food names. How would you guys feel about Chiyo x Todoroki being known as ChiTo?)- 16 votes**

We made it past 700 followers! I want to thank you guys for continuing to support this story, and for all the amazing reviews. A lot happened this chapter, and we're finally moving onto the next big arc. Mizuki and Chiyo made up, and there were a lot of character interactions this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed that!

On a second note, Shueisha is a real publishing company that was shown in the manga. If you're a manga reader, you'll know who Kizuki is and her role in the story.

Things you guys said:

 **ChiTo. I've been thinking about a todoroki ship name, and I like how ChiRio and MoChi are both food names and I thought, ChiTo, yea? Also, starting to really love ChiRio, although I'd like to see some todoroki scenes, maybe just him realizing how connected chiyo is to many other characters? New conspiracy theories, maybe?** X I took your advice! I think ChiTo has a better flow than Choroki anyways. You also got a long awaited Chirio moment(even though it was very brief). In regards to Chiyo being connected to so many characters, it's one of the things that I made slightly unrealistic in this story. It will be addressed eventually.

 **I just binge read all this and gotta say it's great. The one thing that kinda doesn't make sense to me is how pushy some some of the other characters come across as. I somewhat understand that you're trying to develop character and relationships but who ever says "Tell me everything that's wrong and always be completely honest with me I can't accept you keeping your own private thoughts and feelings private." And how the what's suppose to be friendly teasing often comes across as malicious because that is the only way you have characters interact. Teasing and rude in the guise of being "playful" don't get me wrong I believe people often do act like that in a non hostile way it's just the only way you portray them as though. Man this didn't mean to sound so rant-ish really love the story and where it's going.)** X Thanks for reading the story! While I do understand your concerns in regard to Chiyo, I genuinely don't see it in that way. While some of the characters were a bit pushy in getting Chiyo to open up, they truly thought that they were helping Chiyo. In a way they were, because Chiyo as a character needs people to be upright with her and to not beat around the bush. As for the friendly teasing, I based this off of interactions that I myself have had. While the characters do joke around and can be very rough, they're all softies underneath. I will try to portray them better in the future, however.

 **We finally reached 30 chapters! That's amazing, now you have 250 reviews as well! :) Chiyo and Mina passed the exam, but it wasn't easy because of all the traps. Hawks never cease to amaze me every time, he's like a big brother to Chiyo. We don't know anything about his past so far, hopefully you'll do him justice. Adachi's alive, isn't he? That's why Hiroto visited Gran Torino to found out information about him! I knew it. Glad Chiyo was able to make things up with Hiroto, now all that's left is Mizuki. But what will happen? We gonna see Melissa and her dad, Toga and the villians can wait. Let Chiyo and everyone else be happy for once! :'( I'm torn between MoChi and ChiRio, I like both pairings, I really do. Do I have to pick just one? Happy Mother's Day! ;)** X Thank you for the continued support! I will say, however, that Hiroto and Gran Torino weren't talking about Adachi in this scenario. Melissa and her dad didn't appear this chapter, but they'll be making a grand entrance next chapter.

 **WHY DID U STOP THERE OF ALL PLACES WHY!** X I enjoy torturing my readers. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

 **Please please please bring Shinso back into the poll** X While I do plan on writing extra chapters that explore different pairings, Shinsou didn't make the cut for the final pairing of the main story. I did sprinkle in a slight Shiyo moment this chapter, however.

 **Mirio! Mirio! Mirio!** X Remember to vote in the poll.

Questions I have for you Guys:

How did you guys feel about the Mizuki-Chiyo confrontation?

Any questions you guys have for me?

 _P.S. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_

 _P.P.S. Don't forget to leave a review!_


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _"What the hell are ya doing here shrimp?" Chiyo tensed at the voice._

 _Masaru stared down at her, brown eyes blank, as he took the seat next to her. Leaves crunched beneath his weight._

 _Chiyo had nestled herself underneath a playground slide. Her tiny frame fitting effortlessly. She granted the boy a tight smile, as she took in his attire._

 _"The school uniform suits you, Masaru-"_

 _"Cut the crap, shrimp," The boy interrupted, sticking a pinky in his ear. His tail straightened out, as he gave her an unimpressed look. "You already know why I'm here, so let's skip the pleasantries, shall we?"_

 _Chiyo remembered clenching her fists, as her lips thinned. She looked away from him._

 _"You don't have to be here," She bit out, lips twisting. "I'm fine. I don't-"_

 _"Why aren't you going to school?" Her fists unclenched at that, as her mouth dried._

 _(Wasn't it obvious? She wouldn't fit in there. Seeing all those innocent children with their smiling faces would make her **sick** -)_

 _"I enjoy being home schooled," She lied, hugging her knees to her chest. Masaru snorted at that, and shook his head._

 _"You hate being home schooled," He replied, raising an eyebrow. "The only person you have to talk to is that old man-"_

 _"Kaoru-san isn't old," Chiyo retorted firmly, folding her arms. Masaru just shook his head._

 _"Shrimp, please. That geezer has one foot in the grave," Chiyo scowled at that, but didn't argue with the observation._

 _The two sat silently for a few moments more, before Masaru placed a hand on Chiyo's head. It felt comforting._

 _"You're an idiot, Chiyo," The boy said bluntly, as if it was common knowledge. Chiyo bristled at that, as she felt a sting of surprise at the use of her real name._

 _"Excuse me-"_

 _"You're scared," he said, grinding his fist into the top of her head. She felt something rise up in her, as she glared up at him. Nails digging into her palms._

 _"Who the hell said I was scared-"_

 _"We all are," He replied, heavily. "But we still have to keep living, We can't let what happened define us,"_

 _"I know that-"_

 _"Then why are you hiding underneath this slide?" Masaru questioned bluntly, causing Chiyo's wings to twitch. "Why are you alienating yourself?"_

 _The sun was beginning to set, the evening chill beginning to take place as Chiyo found herself rendered speechless._

 _(She was-It was because-)_

 _"I'm weak," Chiyo admitted, rubbing at her eyes. "I… I'm-"_

 _A stick of chocolate was shoved into her mouth, stopping her from speaking anymore. Chiyo's eyes widened, as Masaru glared at her.,_

 _"You are anything but weak," The boy replied. "If I hear you say that again, I'm kicking your ass,"_

 _Chiyo just nodded her head blankly, slowly chewing on the candy. She bowed her head._

 _(What are you so afraid of-)_

 _"I'll think about it," Chiyo whispered eventually, as she crumpled up the wrapper. "Going to school that is,"_

 _Masaru just hummed at that, and ruffled her hair some more._

 _"Good," He said eventually, as they watched the evening sky come into place._

* * *

The first thing Chiyo notices, is how much taller he is. How much his hair has grown.

 _(Maybe it was always like that? You were just too unfocused to notice-)_

Brown eyes flicker down towards her. They widen for a moment, before narrowing in that way of his. He scoffs at her, before going to relieve her of her bags. He places a rough hand on her head, and ruffles her hair.

"The hell're you just standing there for?" He questions, his lips curved slightly. His tail lies out behind him, moving ever so slightly. He raises his head, and shakes it once he sees she's the only one there. "Where are the rest of them? Did those dumb asses get lost-"

"They're getting pizza," Chiyo supplied, speaking for the first time. Her lips curved upwards, as she smacked his hand away. "Akane got hungry, and Masago wanted to make you wait for a bit,"

Masaru scowled at that, folding his arms, as he shook his head.

"Of fuckin course," he grumbled, running a hand through his hair. He sends her a look. "I take time out of my schedule to come pick up _you_ assholes, and the majority of you aren't even here. I'm surprised you didn't join them ya glutton," Chiyo grinned impishly at him.

"I wanted to be the first to annoy you,"

"You'll always annoy me," He deadpanned, a long suffering sigh set on his lips. He turned his head to the side in search of the other three. "Now what pizza place-"

Chiyo wrapped her arms around his abdomen, tightening her grip as she buried her head into his chest. The boy froze at that.

"I missed you," Chiyo replied, turning her head upwards. Her grin turned slightly sharper. "I changed my hero costume,"

"My design wasn't good enough for ya?"

"You would've liked it! I changed the jacket length, and material. I brought it with me in my suitcase,"

"I'll be the judge of that," Masaru replied, pulling on the shorter girl's cheek. "Show it to me when we get to the hotel-"

"MASARU!"

Masaru winced at the noise, and rolled his eyes as the other three girls rushed towards him. Akane had tomato sauce smudged on her cheeks, but proceeded to jump onto Masaru's back. Kino and Masago took his sides.

Complaints and curses left the boy's mouth, but Chiyo didn't miss the slight curve of his lips. The brightness in his eyes.

"You love us," Chiyo stated, tightening her grip on the boy. Masaru's tail straightened at that.

He didn't deny the accusation, however.

* * *

Ginny was annoying. There was no sugarcoating, or tip toeing around the fact.

Chiyo tried not to scowl, as the bubbly blonde buzzed around their hotel room.

After making sure they were situated, Masaru had rushed back to his lab. Promising to show them around the island the next day.

The four of them were fine with the arrangement, wanting nothing more than to rest after the flight.

Ginny didn't seem to get the memo, however.

A pinched smile was carefully placed on Chiyo's face, as the girl listened to the blonde prattle on. Akane's brow twitched ever so slightly, as Masago didn't even bother to try hiding her annoyance. The dark haired girl glared at the back of the blonde's head, as her blanket was wrapped around her.

Kino hadn't bothered with any pleasantries, and went right to sleep.

"You guys are gonna love the island," The blonde said, with a dimple forming smile on her face. "There are a lot of tourist attractions that-"

Chiyo eventually started to tune her out.

The blonde was incredibly nice. A bit too nice in Chiyo's opinion.

Chiyo didn't trust it.

 _(There were nice people in the world. Genuinely nice people. Chiyo had been starting to realize that. But something about Ginny rubbed her the wrong way-)_

"What do you say, Chiyo?" Chiyo blinked at the question.

Brown eyes looked at her expectantly, as the blonde smiled cheerfully at her. Chiyo just rubbed the back of her head.

"Sure," Chiyo replied, the words escaping before she even had a chance to think. She covered her mouth hurriedly after that.

 _(What the hell did she even say?)_

"That's great!" Ginny replied, clapping her hands together. She rose from her seat, and took Chiyo's hands in her own. "It'll be a great bonding experience!"

The blonde took her leave after that, but not before giving rib crushing hugs to each and every one of them.

Masago locked the door behind her.

"She's… enthusiastic," Akane brought forth, as she stretched out her arms. "And I thought _I_ talked a lot,"

"She gives you a run for your money, Aka," Masago replied, staring at the door. She flipped her dark hair over her shoulder. "I still can't believe you agreed to go with her, Chiyo,"

"What was she talking about?" Chiyo questioned putting her face in her hands. "I tuned her out the moment she started speaking,"

"You agreed to go to an art museum with her," Kino stated, as she rose from the bed. She let out a slight yawn. "Masaru told her that you enjoyed painting,"

Kino had to duck, as Chiyo threw a pillow at her face.

"I knew you weren't actually asleep," The tiny girl accused, her wings flapping slightly. "Why the hell didn't you suffer with us?"

"I did suffer with you," Kino pointed out. "It was impossible to sleep with her going on and on,"

"You guys were being rude," Akane accused. "You could have at least pretended to be interested. For Masaru's sake,"

"Why? She's not making out with me," Chiyo, Masago, and Kino said in unison. The three stared at each other at that, before letting out loud laughs.

* * *

Chi: When do u think you'll get here?

Hot n Cold: Not until tomorrow. The flight was delayed for a bit.

Chi: Lame. I was looking forward to seeing u

Hot n Cold: I'll let you know when I arrive

Hot n Cold: _(An elegant, first class, boarding chamber is shown. Numerous refreshments lining the table.)_

Chi: Your dad actually paid for that? He seemed like a cheapskate to me

Hot n Cold: He thinks I'm flying coach. What he doesn't know won't hurt him

Chi: I luv the way u think To-chin

Chi:...

Chi: Hey

Chi: How many siblings do u have?

Hot n Cold: …

Hot n Cold: 3. 2 brothers and 1 sister

Chi: Fuyumi, Natsuo and… what's the name of ur other brother?

Hot n Cold:... Touya. Why do you want to know?

Chi: Just curious. U don't have to say anymore. I kno ur family's a touchy subject

Chi: For being nosy, I'll give u a fact about myself

Hot n Cold: I'm listening

Chi: I'm not actually 5 feet. I'm 4'10

Chi: It's my biggest secret so don't go telling anyone

Hot n Cold: It was pretty obvious

Chi:00000

Chi: R u serious?

Hot n Cold: Asui is 5 feet tall. You're at least an inch shorter than she is

Chi: Dammit

Chi: My mother's 5'8. I must be cursed or somethin

Hot n Cold: Maybe you got it from your grandparents?

Chi: maybe

Chi: Ur lucky To-chin

Chi: U hit the genetic lottery. Height, looks, amazing quirk

Chi: Not saying ur life's perfect or anything. Ur dad kinda sucks. But u at least have that

Chi: I really need to shut up

Chi: Ur enjoying this aren't ya, To-chin? U haven't said anything to stop me.

Hot n Cold: A little bit

Chi: Ur evil

Chi: I always say the wrong things. Didn't have a lot of friends when I was younger because of it

Chi: I'm either too honest or not honest enough

Hot n Cold: Honesty is a good thing. We need more honest people in the world

Chi: U sound like Tsubaki-san

Hot n Cold: Tsubaki-san?

Chi: She makes the best apple pies. I'll introduce u once we get back to Japan

Chi: Have u ever had apple pie?

Hot n Cold: Once. I remember my mother making it for me once when I was young

Chi: U better stop by the bakery once we get back to Japan-

* * *

The wind whipped through Chiyo's hair, as she stuck her head out the car window. She took in the sights around her.

People used their quirks freely, moving through the streets in perfect harmony. Chiyo envied them slightly.

 _(If only we were allowed the same freedoms-)_

"I had my doubts," Masago murmured, running a hand through her hair. "But this place is awesome,"

Chiyo just nodded her head in agreement.

"Masaru," Akane called out, patting the boy's back. "When are we gonna see your lab?"

"We're almost there red,' The boy replied, "It's nothing too special, so don't get your hopes up-"

"Do ya think we could meet Dr. Shield?" Masago questioned, placing a few strands of hair behind her ear. "I'd love to ask him some questions,"

"Well-"

"I heard All Might's making an appearance," Akane gushed, clapping her hands together. Chiyo snorted at that, causing Akane to give her a look.

"You don't get it Chiyo," Akane brought forth, placing her sunglasses on. "He's your teacher. But to the rest of us, he's a heartthrob. _The Symbol of Peace-_ "

"I might actually throw up," Chiyo deadpanned. "I respect him as a hero. But, he's at least twice your age,"

"Age doesn't matter when it comes to beauty. Do ya think he'd sign my hat?"

Chiyo pursed her lips, before shrugging her shoulders.

"He probably would," Chiyo mumbled. "He's incredibly nice,"

 _"Yay-"_

"We're here," Masaru called out, looking slightly uncomfortable with the conversation. He led them into a rather refined building, pressing his ID card up against a scanner. "This is where I spend most of my nights,"

"Does Ginny spend them here with you-"

"Where I spend my nights _alone_ ," Masaru reiterated, covering Chiyo's mouth, as the girl just looked at him innocently. Masaru glared at her, as Kino struggled to hold in her laughter. "You're a nightmare, shrimp,"

"I was just asking a question,"

"This is a professional building with security cameras at every turn. It'd be stupid to-"

"So you've thought about this?" Masago questioned, placing a hand to her mouth. Masaru froze for a moment, cheeks turning slightly red, before sighing.

"Why do I even bother?" He muttered to himself, as he took a seat. Chiyo just patted his shoulder, as she took in the numerous contraptions surrounding them. Heaps of metal and countless tools laid across the floor, as Kino picked up a wrench.

"Hey, Saru?" Kino questioned, fiddling with the wrench. "Do ya think you could fix my phone? It's been pretty slow lately-"

"Just get a new one," He replied, taking the wrench back quickly. "And _don't_ touch anything-"

The door to the lab opened rather abruptly. A rather tall girl, with long blonde hair rushed in. Her glasses were slightly askew.

"Masaru!" She called out, turning into the room. "Papa needs you in-"

Blue eyes looked over the five of them, before letting out a slight gasp. Chiyo just gave Masaru another look.

"What is with you and blondes? Is that your type, now-"

Masaru slugged her in the arm, and jumped to his feet. Chiyo rubbed the assaulted area, and scowled as the blonde girl placed a smile onto her face.

"Are you Masaru's friends?" The girl questioned. She bowed her head slightly towards them, as her glasses slid down her nose. "It's a pleasure to meet you,"

"Don't waste your time with these losers, Melissa," Masaru replied, rubbing the back of his head. "They'll drive ya crazy-"

"Pleasure to meet you, Melissa," Masago replied, cutting the boy off. She shook the blonde's hand, and smiled daintily. "Don't listen to him, he's just cranky. My name's Masago,"

"Masa- You're the one studying to be a journalist, aren't you?' The blonde questioned excitedly. "I always thought that line of work was fascinating! Masaru told me all about you guys," Bright blue eyes scoured over all of them.

"The one with red hair is Akane, the one with the brown hair is Kino, and-" Melissa looked towards Chiyo, as a sound of contemplation escaped her. She smiled at Chiyo, causing the girl to smile back effortlessly. "The short one is Chiyo!"

The smile dropped from Chiyo's face in an instant, as Kino cackled from behind her.

 _(We could've been friends-)_

"I'm _really_ not that short-"

"He said that was a sore subject for you," Melissa replied, placing a hand over her mouth. She gave Chiyo an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that,"

Chiyo just smiled thinly.

"But… I thought there were two more that were supposed to come?" Melissa questioned, curiously. "Were they not able to make it?" Masaru scoffed at that, as he folded his arms.

"Lazy bums-"

"Yasuo and Saburo both had _reeaally_ important internships," Akane stressed, jabbing Masaru in the side. "So it's only us girls this time!"

Melissa nodded in understanding at that, as she pushed her glasses up her nose.

"I'll let papa know you have company," The blonde stated, before looking towards Chiyo. "You're training to be a hero, aren't you?"

"Well, yes-"

"You have to let me see your hero costume!" Chiyo blinked in surprise at that, as Masaru moved in front of her. His tail curled slightly.

"Sorry blondie," He replied, patting the girl's forehead. A sharp grin took over the boy's face. "You'll only get to look at it after I do," Melissa pouted at that.

"That's not fair-"

"Life isn't fair kid-"

Chiyo looked back and forth between the two, before snorting. Melissa froze at that, before rubbing the back of her head.

"Anyways," The blonde trailed off, her hands behind her back. Her eyes seemed to smile, as she waved at the four of them. "I'll leave you guys alone now. Will you all be attending the Expo?"

"I can't wait!" Akane erupted, gushing slightly. "Dr. Shield's receiving an award isn't he? You must be proud," Melissa grinned at that, before nodding her head.

"Papa's worked very hard to get where he is," Melissa stated, her hand on the door handle. She granted them a sweet smile. "I'll always be proud of him, award or no award,"

Masago and Akane gushed at that, as Melissa made her exit. Masago jabbed Masaru in the shoulder.

"What the hell-"

"Why don't you go out with her?" Masago hissed. "She's amazing,"

"She's also _17_ ," The boy hissed, rubbing his shoulder. "Mind your business. I don't get involved in your love life, or lack thereof, I should say,"

Masago raised an eyebrow at that, before shrugging.

"I don't exactly have time for any of that stuff right now,"

"Excuses-"

Chiyo looked down at her phone, as the two went back and forth. Her lips twitched into a smile, as she saw a list of unread text messages. Pictures of Ochako, Jirou, and Momo standing in the airport, preparing to board the plane.

 _My first time boarding a plane!_ Had been captioned underneath by Ochako, with multiple emojis. Chiyo felt something warm settle in her stomach at that. She looked up at the scene in front of her, and grinned, before typing a quick message onto her phone.

 _Can't wait to see you guys!_

 _(Maybe… it's not such a bad thing to open up a little more-)_

* * *

"Chiyo~" The girl rolled her eyes at that, as she took a sip of her drink. The two boys in front of her, didn't relent, however.

"Introduce us-"

"Unfortunately for you two," Chiyo drawled, placing her drink down on the table. She glared down at Mineta, as he not so subtly stared at Kino from across the room. "I actually _like_ those three. They're out of your league anyway," Kaminari and Mineta both placed a hand to their hearts in mock outrage at that.

"Out of our league-"

"How _dare_ you-"

"The only reason you took this job was to pick up girls!" Chiyo hissed, garnering attention from random passerby. Some girls gave the two boys dirty looks, before carrying on with their business. Kaminari swatted at Chiyo's shoulder.

"You're ruining our chances!"

"What chances-"

"Denki, Minoru!" A voice called out. The two straightened immediately at that.

A rather tall teenage boy stood a bit farther off, with three orders of food balanced on his arm. He had rather tan skin, and brown hair that had been tied up. The annoyed look on his face took front and center, however.

"Table 5 and 7 have been waiting for their orders," he stated, placing the plates in their arms. "Stop socializing with the customers!"

The two boys nodded their heads hurriedly, as they rushed to do their jobs. Chiyo remained silent for a moment, before letting out a rather loud laugh. The boy whipped his head around, seeming to notice Chiyo for the first time.

"They didn't bother you did they?" he questioned, rubbing the back of his head. "They're not bad kids, just a bit short sighted-"

"It's alright,' Chiyo placated, sipping up the last of her smoothie. "They're classmates of mine, I'm used to their antics," His eyes seemed to widen at that.

"You go to UA, too?" He questioned, wiping his hands on his apron. "Impressive. You must be pretty excited to be here,"

"You have no idea-' Chiyo glanced at his name tag "Rafael. My name's Chiyo, a pleasure to meet you. You seem to be pretty on top of things over here,"

"My mom runs the catering business," He explained, brown eyes lighting up slightly. "The Expo's always one of our busiest times," Chiyo hummed at that.

"Are you from this area?" The boy shook his head, his hair tie becoming slightly loose.

"My family's originally from Mexico," He disclosed, causing Chiyo's jaw to drop. "We moved here when I was about two-"

"Have you ever been to San Miguel De Allende?" Chiyo questioned, slamming her hand on the table. Rafael looked at her in shock, before shaking his head.

"Sorry. Can't say I have," He replied, looking over at the time. He began to walk away from the table. His lips twitched upwards, as he gave Chiyo one last look. Her cheeks burned slightly. "I've heard it's beautiful, though. I always wanted to start a restaurant over there,"

"I'll be one of your first customers," Chiyo said, swinging her feet. She waved towards him. "See ya later,"

The boy just nodded, before getting back to work. Chiyo smiled down at her empty cup.

 _("San Miguel De Allende- If you haven't gone there, you haven't lived-" )_

 _Tiny hands grabbing onto her own. **I'll take you there someday**_

"I'll get there one day," She whispered, as she stood up from her seat.

* * *

Chako: We landed!

Chako: _(The airport was bustling with people. Momo stood off to the side, looking down at a brochure. Jirou leaned onto the taller girl's shoulder as she grinned into the camera)_

Chi: Can't wait to see u! I'll meet u at the Pavilion-

* * *

Her hero costume felt snug on her body, as she looked down at her cellphone Her brow twitched, as Masago sent her yet another reminder to _not_ be late.

She tucked it away, as she roamed the blue halls of the pavilion.

A curly mop of green hair caught her attention.

Chiyo smiled slightly, as she tiptoed up behind the boy. She tapped on his shoulder.

"Deku?" The boy jumped at that.

He whipped his head around in search of the voice, before looking down at Chiyo. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Ah, Koumori-san-"

"You really have to work on that," Chiyo deadpanned, placing a hand on her hip. "Drop the _san_ for goodness sake. We're the same age," The boy's cheeks reddened, as he let out a nervous laugh.

"Sorry, force of habit," He replied, before straightening up. "You got an invite to the Expo as well?" Chiyo nodded her head excitedly.

"Mmhm," She said, as she fiddled with her piercings. "A friend of mine is apprenticed to Dr. Shield," Green eyes widened, as he looked towards her.

"Really! That's amazing. Are some of their inventions being shown here? Would it be alright if I looked at them? If you don't mind showing me of course-"

"You're a bit of a nerd Deku," Chiyo replied, effectively stopping his tirade. The boy wilted at that.

"Ah, sorry-"

"Don't apologize," Chiyo reprimanded, patting his forehead. "I'm a bit of a nerd too. We're underappreciated if ya ask me. I'd rather be a nerd than a muscle-head,"

Despite himself, Midoriya chuckled at that as he nodded his head.

"I never thought of it like that,"

Chiyo grabbed Midoriya's hand, ignoring the boy's sputters.

"I'll show ya around if you want?" His eyes widened at that, as he raised a hand in front of his face.

"Actually-"

"Deku!" Chiyo and Midoriya both looked up. Melissa rushed towards the two of them, her eyes widening as she caught sight of Chiyo.

"Ah, Chiyo! Are you enjoying your stay so far?" Chiyo just nodded her head.

"The islands beautiful," Chiyo prattled, clapping her hands together. "I can't wait until tonight. I'm sure your more excited than I am, though," Melissa preened at the statement.

"No matter how many times I go, the Expo always makes me feel like such a kid," Melissa admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "You'll love it!"

"You two know each other?" Midoriya questioned, looking slightly confused. Chiyo bobbed her head.

"We've run into each other a few times," Chiyo admitted. Melissa smiled at that, as she lifted up a rather slim looking helmet. She plopped it onto Midoriya's head.

"These goggles are equipped with 36 different sensors," The blonde disclosed, as Midoriya looked around rapidly.

"That's amazing!"

Chiyo smiled slightly, as the taller boy looked at the inventions with nothing short of wonder.

 _(He's innocent, untouched. I wanna keep it that way-)_

Chiyo's eyes widened, as she rushed forward. She proudly picked up a shiny blue cube that was on display, and showed it to Midoriya.

The green haired boy just blinked down at it, before looking up towards Chiyo. He rubbed the back of his head.

"Ah, Koumori… what does it do?" He questioned, looking slightly sheepish. Chiyo just grinned, as she pressed her finger up against the cube. The cube was still for a moment, before morphing around Chiyo's wrist. A shiny blue watch, with a glass screen in the middle.

"It may not be much," Chiyo admitted. "But it was one of his first inventions. Masaru said-Let me just _show you_ ,"

Chiyo flicked her wrist, and the watch morphed into a blue glove that covered her hand. She grabbed onto her wrist, and opened her palm.

A red laser exited the center of her palm, burning a hole in the target that had been placed above the display case. Midoriya's jaw dropped.

Chiyo rubbed the back of her head, as the glove morphed back into a cube. She placed it back down.

"Like I said, it might not be much-"

"That was _amazing!_ " Chiyo froze at the interruption.

Midoriya's eyes seemed to glisten, as he moved forward to examine the cube.

"That was wonderful! It had so much destructive power," He seemed to be writing in an invisible notebook. "Do you know the mechanics of this invention? Could I meet your friend-"

Chiyo listened as the boy seemed to prattle on, question upon question exiting his mouth.

 _(He reminds me so much of **her** -)_

Chiyo sighed at that, a tiny smile on her face, as she picked up the cube once more.

* * *

AN: This chapter was a little choppy, but I hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless. Next chapter will be wrapping up the movie events, and we'll finally make our way to the Summer Training Camp.

Poll Results:(Closing around the Overhaul Arc. Remember to vote!)

1) Mirio & Yaoyorozu- 42 votes

2) Todoroki- 31 votes

A lot of you guys were unsure how to vote for the poll. If you're on a desktop computer, you should be able to see the poll on my profile. If you're on mobile, go to the bottom of your screen and click on desktop mode. You'll be able to switchback after voting if you click on the phone at the top left of the website. The poll votes are the only votes I'm taking, because counting reviews would get a bit too confusing.

Questions:

I'm considering writing a special chapter soon, what prompt would you guys be interested in seeing?

 **1) Soulmate AU**

 **2) What if Hanami lived and Chiyo died?**

 **3) Fantasy AU**

AN2: I plan to start editing the earlier chapters a bit. Not too much, just the flow and adding a few more scenes.

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia.

* * *

 _Crack._

 _"Why are you not afraid of him?" Chiyo had pursed her lips at that._

 _It was a simple question. It hadn't required a lot of thought on Chiyo's part, but she found she couldn't answer. Yellow eyes stared at her expectantly._

 _The blonde didn't repeat the question._

 _(She had cared for him-She had trusted him-)_

 _"He's a coward," Chiyo eventually spat out, as yellow eyes widened beside her. "He's a worthless, quirkless coward. He doesn't deserve for me to feel anything for him other than disgust-"_

 _A sound escaped from Toga, causing Chiyo to glance over at her. Chiyo blinked at that, before leaning back on her hands._

 _Toga trembled beside her, her hands gripping into her clothes. Chiyo braced herself, readying herself for the outburst-_

 _The blonde let out a laugh._

 _Crack._

 _"You're insane, y'know that?" Chiyo stated, as the blonde giggled next to her. Her wings wilted, as she relaxed slightly. "You looked like you were about to start bawling your eyes out for a moment,"_

 _The girl continued to laugh, keeling over slightly as Chiyo let out a sigh._

 _Toga raised her head, and the look in her eyes made something in Chiyo falter._

 _(Her eyes looked feral. Bloodthirsty-)_

 _Crack!_

 _"I'm gonna kill him," She stated gleefully, fingers trembling. Something in Chiyo's stomach turned, as she realized that the shaking wasn't fear._

 _(It was pure unadulterated excitement. Excitement at the thought of Adachi suffering-)_

 _The blonde's nails dug into her hands, drawing blood in the girl's palm. Her smile grew even wider._

 _Chiyo watched on, something heavy in her stomach as she watched Toga laugh joyously._

* * *

 _(Toga had always had a few screws loose. Had always been different. Not quite right. But… Chiyo loved her all the same. They had all dreamed of Adachi suffering after all. Undergoing the tests they had been forced to. There was nothing wrong with wanting revenge. So why had Toga unsettled her so much-)_

* * *

"Fancy seeing you here, Hikaru," Hiroto tensed at the familiar name.

Police officers stood stationed at the door, saluting towards him as he made his entrance. He graced them with a jerkish nod, as his eyes settled on the man in front of him.

"Hiroto," He corrected, taking a seat. A sheet of glass divided him from his companion, as he gripped the table. "It's… it's nice to see you again, Benjiro,"

The man on the other side guffawed, as he just shook his head. The jagged scars on his face seemed to stretch at the notion.

"Hikaru, _Hiroto,_ " The man drawled. "Whatever name you choose to go by… it doesn't change the facts,"

Muddy brown eyes pressed against the glass, a taunting smile present on his aged face.

"It doesn't change what you did," Benjiro drawled, his eyes slightly crazed. Hiroto breathed out through his nose, as he sat up slightly straighter.

 _("Keep your cool" He had told Chiyo numerous times. "Never let your opponents know they got to you-")_

"It's alright though," The man replied, as he grinned-all teeth-through the screen. "I'm glad to see you again. How have you been, old friend?"

Cameras zeroed in on the interaction, as Hiroto smoothed out his face.

"Same old, same old," He replied, lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes narrowed slightly. "I should be asking you that. How's life behind bars been treating ya?"

Benjiro let out a cackle at that, as he shook his head.

"You were always so blunt," He stated, stifling his chuckles. "It was one of the things we loved about you. I do hope you haven't forgotten about your time with us? Its memories of those days that still keeps me going,"

 _(They would always laugh together-The epitome of naivety-)_

"How could I forget?" Hiroto replied, pasting a smile on his face. "I cherish those memories too-"

 _"We could've been legendary,_ " Hiroto blinked at the interruption.

The smile was still carefully painted on Benjiro's face, but the tint of bitterness laced in his voice was apparent. His hands trembled as he clenched his fists.

Hiroto nodded his head, as a sigh of relief escaped him.

 _(At least he's being honest about how he feels-)_

"We had a purpose," Benjiro replied, as Hiroto folded his hands. " _He_ gave us a purpose. Our names would've been written down in history. Us! _The outcasts_ -"

"At what cost, Jiro," Hiroto said, voice calm. His brows furrowed together. "How many lives would have to have been taken before you realized how bad it truly was?"

"It was for the greater good," He replied firmly. "Boss… he gave us a purpose! A cause to fight for, something to believe in when all those heroes threw us to the curb. You just threw it all in his face," Benjiro's brows scrunched together, as he shook his head. "You _betrayed_ us, and left us to rot! We were your _family_ -"

 _"Hiroto-sama,"_ A voice called from overhead, causing Benjiro to freeze. Blue eyes slid over to window above, as the voice echoed. Hiroto breathed out through his nose. _"Your time is up, please exit the room,"_

Hiroto nodded his head at that, as he gave Benjiro one last look. The man seemed to sag momentarily, before his brown eyes started to light up. Hiroto ran a hand through his hair.

"Jiro-"

"He will rise again," Hiroto blinked at the interruption, goosebumps littering his skin.

Benjiro smiled once more, his grip loosening as he let out a light laugh.

" _All For One_ will rise," The man spat, as the guards shot to attention at the familiar name. Hiroto raised a hand towards them, beckoning them to stop. "And when he does, I'll come for you _traitor_. We'll all come for you. I'll rip your heart out through your _fuckin teeth_ -"

A shock elicited a pained gasp from the man, as he crumpled to the ground. One of the guards held up a remote, as Benjiro was apprehended. Hiroto felt his heart twist painfully at the sight.

 _("We were family-")_

 _"It's time to leave, Hiroto-sama,_ " The voice repeated, albeit more firmly this time. The man just nodded his head, as he ran a tired hand through his hair.

 _("He will rise again-")_

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of," He grumbled, as he made his way out of the room.

* * *

 _("Don't despair," He would say, the same infuriating tint to his voice. He would place a hand on his shoulder. "Her sacrifice was all for the greater good-")_

* * *

Chiyo slammed her feet into the head of the robot, red dress rising above her knees as the bottom of her heels shattered.

She gritted her teeth, as the red robots wouldn't relent in their pursuit.

A gush of cold air blew past the back of her neck. She turned around, only to see a pillar of ice capturing five of the red annoyances.

Todoroki gave her a nod of acknowledgement, as she nodded back at him. She narrowed her eyes as Bakugou and Kirishima fought off in the distance.

She kicked off her broken shoes, bare feet gripping against the ground as she leapt into action once more.

….

 _(Four hours earlier)_

…..

She tried not to laugh, truly she did.

The sight of Bakugou having to be restrained by Kirishima and Midoriya, however, was enough to send her keeling over. Iida's robotic gestures didn't help the matter.

"Is he in your class too?" Melissa questioned, pointing to the blonde ball of anger. Ochako, Jirou, and Momo looked at the scene with something akin to shame as the three of them bowed their heads.

"He's hilarious, Isn't he?" Chiyo questioned, as she leaned over the railing. Red eyes glanced to the side. "Never a dull moment without him around,"

"You shouldn't encourage this type of behavior, Chiyo-chan," Momo replied, pressing a hand to her temple as she stared at the scene in front of them. She let out a delicate sigh. "How _embarrassing_ ,"

Chiyo shrugged her shoulders, as she looked down to the dual hair colored boy standing in the arena. Her wings twitched as she rose into the air. Melissa's eyes widened beside her, as her wings began to flap at an even faster rate.

"To-chin~" Chiyo called out, as she made her way down to the arena. "You were supposed to _tell_ me when you got here. I thought your flight was delayed?" The boy hummed at that, as he proceeded to melt the glacier of ice he had just created.

"I landed two hours ago," The boy replied, as Chiyo landed next to him. She ignored the obscenities flying out of Bakugou's mouth, as the blonde was dragged away. "I had planned to text you after I was finished here,"

"Of course," Chiyo replied, nodding her head solemnly. "You had to show the occupants of the island how badass you were, before talking to little old me. I understand,"

"Are you going to participate?" Todoroki questioned, as he finished melting the last of the ice. Chiyo shrugged her shoulders at that, as she glanced over the course.

"I dunno," She started off slowly, fiddling with her piercings. "You've raised the bar, y'know? There's no way I can beat fourteen seconds. I'll be stuck in second place like Baku,"

"Better not let him hear you say that," The boy replied, a tiny smile gracing his lips. Chiyo shuddered at the thought.

"Never. I prefer to have my head attached to my body, thank you very much," Chiyo stated tightening her ponytail. "I personally think being second place to you is an honor. But Baku sadly doesn't see it that way," Todoroki hummed at that as the last of the ice finally melted. Chiyo whistled at the sight of the flames flickering away in his palm.

"I'm never gonna get over that," Chiyo drawled, before she grinned up at the boy. "You're amazing, y'know that?" Todoroki shook his head at that as he looked down at his left hand. A wistful sort of look made its way into his eyes.

"I still have a long way to go," Chiyo sighed as she reached up to ruffle the boy's hair.

"Why are all the people in this class so modest?" She grumbled, as she looked over the course once more. "Y'know… I think I will give this course a go. Gotta give it a try at least, right?"

"Good luck," The dual hair colored boy stated, as Chiyo rose into the air once more. The girl just grinned back at him.

"Luck is for losers," She replied, flying away. "Thanks for the sentiment, but I don't need it,"

Todoroki just nodded his head at that, as Chiyo made her way over to the lady in charge. The brunette seemed frazzled at the events that had transpired moments prior, but granted Chiyo a strained smile.

"Y-yes?" Chiyo showed the girl her pass.

"I'd like a turn please,"

* * *

 _(She had ended up getting fifteen seconds. Something that had pissed Bakugou off immensely-)_

* * *

Masaru sat down with a thump, brown hair tickling his forehead as he took off his glasses.

"Lookin good, Masaru," A voice stated cheekily, causing the boy to let out an exasperated sigh. "Ginny better watch out, I might end up falling in love with ya,"

"I'd never go for you, Shrimp," The boy retorted smoothly, hand raised to his temple. "The people I go out with have to be above five feet, thank you very much,"

"Shut up," Chiyo replied flipping her hair over her shoulder. She slid her sunglasses off, and stuck her tongue out. "You'd be lucky to get a girl like me,"

"I'll keep that in mind," Masaru replied, getting up once more. He walked over to his study table, and looked over some of his papers. Chiyo peeked over his shoulder.

"Ooh~" She started off, avoiding the older boy's swipe at her head. "Got some new invention you're working on? It looks like a neck brace. Got any idea on what you're gonna call it?'

Masaru nodded his head, as he folded up the papers.

"Mmhm," he replied, cleaning up some spare papers around the room. "I think I'd like to call it… _'none of your damn business'_ ,"

"I'm not so sure about that, Saru-senpai," Chiyo replied, stroking her chin. "The names a bit too long. I don't think it'll catch on,"

"It'd be quite popular, actually," The boy said, placing his designs into a large binder. "I think many people would share my sentiments,"

Chiyo snorted, as she took a seat in one of his empty chairs. Her gaze turned slightly contemplative, as she fiddled with her piercings.

"I like UA," Chiyo stated, her voice slightly low. Masaru rolled his eyes at that.

"Anyone with _eye_ s can see that, Shrimp. You were the only one trying to deny it,"

Chiyo hummed at that, as her wings twitched. She placed her head in her hands. "I didn't think I would. I thought I would hate it. I thought I would hate the people-"

"But you don't?' Masaru questioned, large box in hand as he packed some gadgets in. Chiyo pursed her lips together, before shaking her head.

"They're _amazing_ ," Chiyo prattled, eyes glistening slightly. "You won't believe how talented some of the kids are! Watching them is just-"

"You sound like you're about to write them a love song," Masaru teased, as Chiyo's cheeks warmed. "They're still kids. So are you. You all have a lot of room to grow,"

Chiyo swung her feet back and forth, as she sunk into the chair. Her wings pressed together.

"They… make me feel warm inside," Chiyo admitted, as a tiny smile curved onto her lips. She pressed a hand to her heart. "Haven't felt that way in a long while," Masaru raised a brow at that, as he taped off some boxes.

"That's good isn't it?" Chiyo nodded her head.

"What about you?' Chiyo asked, straightening slightly. "How do you like I-island-"

"It's amazing," Masaru replied, not even giving the girl a chance to finish her sentence. "Shrimp you won't _believe_ how advanced it is over here! You've barely scratched the surface. You can't see it in just one visit, but I really think this island is the place for me-"

"You sound like you're about to write the island a love song," Chiyo echoed, causing the boy to freeze. He rubbed the back of his neck, before shrugging.

"I would if I could, Shrimp," Masaru replied. "But I've never been good with that kinda shit," Chiyo nodded her head at that.

"Music was never your forte," Chiyo replied, knocking her ankles together. "You should stick to science," The boy nodded his head at that.

"Thanks for inviting us here by the way," Chiyo said nonchalantly, staring off to the side. "It was nice of you,"

"The hell's goin on with you?" He stated, giving her a strange look. "Don't get all weepy on me now. If I wanted to have an emotional heart to heart I'd go talk to Akane,"

Chiyo blinked at the mention of the redhead, before shooting to her feet.

"Shit!" She stated, glancing down at her watch. "It's already six o'clock? I have to get ready-"

"The event doesn't start until eight thirty," Masaru replied, running a hand through his hair. "You have time," Chiyo just gave the boy a look.

"If I want to look presentable," Chiyo replied, as she hurried toward the door. "I need at least an hour,"

"An _hour_? What the hell are ya doing?' The boy asked incredulously. "How long does it take to put on a dress?"

"Longer than you might think," Chiyo stated, hand on the doorway. "Plus, I promised to meet up with some classmates,"

Masaru shrugged his shoulders, as he placed a label onto one of the boxes.

"Don't worry, Saru," Chiyo replied, head peeking through the door. She smirked up at him. "I'll save you a dance,"

She ducked getting hit by a pencil.

"Hurry up and go before the princess starts bugging me," The boy stated firmly. "Make sure you do something about that face of yours while your at it. I don't want you scaring the other guests away,"

Chiyo just flipped him off.

* * *

 _"Where were you-"_

Chiyo sighed, as Masago proceeded to talk her ear off. She painted her lips red, her new lipstick in between her fingers as Kino nudged the raven haired girl's shoulder.

"Cool it Masa," The girl stated, staring at herself in the mirror. "She's here now isn't she? Sides we still got a good hour before the whole thing even starts,"

"Even so," The girl huffed, Akane braiding her hair into an intricate crown. "You should've called. You didn't even try on your dress yet,"

"It'll fit," Chiyo replied, holding the item in her arms. "If anything I'm worried about the heels,"

"Which is why you have to try everything on," Masago replied, folding her arms. "Even if it's an hour from now, we can't afford to be late," Akane hummed at that.

"All the food will be taken," Akane brought forth, as Kino nodded in agreement.

"Also, because being late is never a good look," Masago stated, patting Akane's hand in gratitude. "We have to get there ten minutes early-" Chiyo's head whipped up rather abruptly.

"That reminds me! I had planned to meet up with a few classmates," Chiyo interrupted, pounding her fist against her palm in remembrance. She pressed her hands together, as Masago's jaw dropped. "Sorry for telling ya so last minute,"

"Chiyo-"

"Go have fun," Akane stated, her flaming red hair tied up into a bun. She sent Masago a sheepish look, as she wrapped an arm around the taller girl. "With some of the classmates you have I don't blame you for ditching us. That Todoroki kid is-"

"At least three years younger than you," Kino replied, brow twitching slightly. A black evening gown hugged her figure, as she proceeded to place some earrings on. "Cool it Aka,"

"I'm just stating an observation! Once he gets a bit older-"

Chiyo tuned them out.

* * *

AlienQueen: Send me pictures of the Expo! Me, Tooru, and Tsu just landed a few hours ago!

Chi: You'll be able to see it yourself tomorrow. Explore the rest of the island if you have the chance-

* * *

Chiyo didn't like parties.

She didn't hate them, far from it in fact. The thought of letting loose and enjoying herself had always been a good idea to her.

It was a childish thing she realized, her ankles knocking together as she struggled to walk in her heels, but parties had always made her feel so vulnerable. So open.

 _(People can hurt you if you're too open. Always keep some distance-)_

She had always declined social gatherings in middle school, painting herself to be even more of a loner. Someone who couldn't be talked to. It was an odd experience.

 _(It ate up at her. Made her feel even more isolated. They would never understand so why try-)_

But as she walked to the hotel room of Momo, Ochako, and Jirou she felt a slight skip in her step. Her heart felt lighter.

She shivered slightly, as a gust of cold air brushed passed Chiyo's bare shoulders. She fiddled with the hem of her red dress.

 _(It's okay to be open. They won't judge you-)_

She raised her hand to knock on the door, and froze as the door creaked open without any prompting. She peeked into the room.

"Jirou-san, you look fine," Momo asserted, putting on her earrings. Her green dress was pressed to perfection.

"Really, Kyoka-chan," Ochako affirmed, clad in a pink off the shoulder dress as she pumped her fist. "Absolutely gorgeous,"

Jirou stood off to the side, fiddling with her earphone jacks. She looked down at her shoes, as she pursed her lips.

"I hate wearing things like these," She grumbled, adjusting the bottom of her dress. Chiyo snorted at that, as she tiptoed into the room.

 _(Close your mind-)_

"Don't be like that, Ro," Chiyo replied, tightening the black ribbon tied around her waist. She looped her arm through Jirou's and smiled. "We'll suffer together. These heels are _killing_ me,"

Ochako and Jirou both jumped about a foot in the air, as Momo just let out a slight sound of surprise. Momo smiled at the sight of her.

"You look lovely, Chiyo," Chiyo waved a hand at that.

"Me? I'm nothing compared to you Mo. You got even more beautiful if possible,"

"Don't do that, Mori," Jirou stated, placing a hand to her heart. "I didn't even hear you come in,"

"You're like a ninja," Ochako agreed, a cheerful grin making its way onto her face. "You look so pretty, Chiyo-chan!"

"You three are the real beauties," Chiyo started off, adjusting the flower in Jirou's hair. Her lips curved upwards. "Frankly I'm a bit taken aback,"

Ochako rubbed the back her head sheepishly at that, as Jirou shoved her shoulder. Momo's phone beeped, as the girl placed her long hair into an elaborate up-do.

"Iida-san and the rest are already waiting," Momo stated, placing her phone down on the table She sent a smile to the three other girls in the room. "We should go join them,"

Jirou hugged her arms to her body at that, as her earphone jacks straightened out.

"I just know Kaminari's gonna say something stupid. Him and Mineta together is just asking for trouble," The girl grumbled, as Chiyo and Ochako tugged her along.

"Kami-sama always says somethin stupid," Chiyo said sagely, Ochako nodding her head in agreement. Chiyo looped her other arm through Momo's, and tugged the taller girl forward. "Sides, if he says anything stupid just ignore it. Guys always lose their heads over pretty girls,"

 _(He was bowed at the waist, letter in hand as his knees shook-"I think you're really great!" He had yelled for the whole school to hear. "Please go out with me-")_

Memories of her middle school days caused her to shudder.

"Guys can be real idiots," Chiyo surmised, as they made their way to the elevator.

* * *

Kaminari and Mineta pounded their fists in celebration, as Chiyo made her entrance.

"Idiots," She said fondly, taking measured steps forward. She preened slightly at the attention, as Ochako gushed over Midoriya complimenting her outfit. She noticed different colored eyes on her, as she absentmindedly brushed her bangs out of her face. She had chosen to keep her hair down, slightly coiffed at the end.

"See something you like To-chin?" She questioned, flying over to the boy. Todoroki just stared at her blankly.

"You look cold," Chiyo's face dropped at that, as she swatted his shoulder. Her dress was strapless, leaving Chiyo's shoulders exposed and falling down to her knees.

 _(She was freezing-)_

"You're supposed to say that I look nice," She hissed, folding her arms. "Take some notes from Kami-sama or Mineta," The two boys jumped to attention at being called.

"You look stunning Chiyo-"

"The definition of beauty," Chiyo nodded her head in approval, as she gave Todoroki a look.

"See?" The boy just blinked at that, as he scratched his cheek.

"I had assumed that was obvious," He replied, causing Chiyo to freeze momentarily. Not quite sure how to respond to the comment, Chiyo forced out a laugh.

 _(How can he say things like that with a straight face-)_

"You're too smooth, To-chin," Chiyo said solemnly, as Melissa rushed into the room. Todoroki remained the picture of indifference.

"If you say so,"

Chiyo turned her head to the side, as Iida looked up from his cellphone.

"Kirishima-kun and Bakugou-kun aren't answering their phones," The class rep informed, his brow slightly creased. "It can't be helped. We're already late enough as is,"

Chiyo raised a brow at that, as Ochako tugged her along. The bubbly brunette talking about all the good food the party would hold.

 _(Baku I understand, but Shima loves stuff like this-)_

* * *

Chiyo slumped down against the wall, her wings slightly wilted.

"We can't catch a break," She stated, her head in her hands. "Of course villains would have to attack while we're on vacation,"

 _(Masago, Akane, Kino, and Masaru were at the party. What if something happens? You should've gone with them-)_

"In this situation," Iida started off, looking over all of them. "All we can do is to follow UA teacher, All Might's suggestion and escape from this place,"

"I have to agree with Iida-san," Momo replied, shaking her head. "We're still students. In this situation we'd be nothing more than a hindrance,"

"Escaping won't exactly be easy," Melissa brought forth, hand stroking her chin. "This place was built with the same amount of security as Tartarus," Chiyo winced at the name.

 _(Tartarus? Hiroto had mentioned that place before-)_

"So," Chiyo started off slowly, fiddling with her piercing. "To put it bluntly… we're screwed,"

The occupants of the room seemed to nod their heads at that. Chiyo breathed in through her nose, as she slowly laid her head back.

"What a mess," She said softly. Melissa gave her an understanding look.

"We can wait for reinforcements to come?" Kaminari brought forth. Jirou gripped at the hem of her dress.

"That's not good enough," She replied, jumping to her feet. "We're… we're supposed to be heroes-"

"We're not heroes yet, Ro," Chiyo interrupted, tugging on the girl's dress. "We won't be able to help,"

"They got All Might!" Mineta cried out, hands wringing together. "What the hell can _we_ do?"

The room seemed to chill at the reminder.

 _(If All Might's down, what can we do-)_

Midoriya lifted his head, green eyes shining brightly like they always did.

 _(No hesitation whatsoever-)_

"We can still save them," Chiyo gritted her teeth at that.

"We can't-"

"We're trying to become heroes," Todoroki interrupted, looking down at his left hand. Chiyo pursed her lips, as she finally jumped to her feet.

"To-chin-"

"We're not real heroes yet," Momo corrected, brow slightly furrowed. Todoroki continued gazing down, before finally choosing to look up once more.

"Does that mean we sit here doing nothing?" Chiyo clenched her fists at that.

 _(She had told herself she would never be useless again. That she would never curse her inactivity again-)_

Her family was down there.

 _(Masaru, Masago, Kino, Akane- She couldn't lose them-)_

"I'm not saying we should fight the villains head on," Midoriya reiterated, fists clenching at his pant legs. "I'm saying that we find a way to save All Might and the others without fighting,"

"How?" Momo questioned. "It's a nice theory but how do we put it into practice?"

"I can help with that," Chiyo turned her head towards the voice.

Melissa had a determined look in her eyes, as she stood up slightly straighter. She smiled, as she folded her arms.

"Leave that part to me,"

* * *

Chiyo flew up the stairs, Melissa cradled in her arms, as the rest of the class followed behind them.

"Chiyo," Melissa started off, for what seemed like the hundredth time. "This isn't necessary. I can run-"

"Melissa," Chiyo interrupted, a tight smile on her face. "You're the most important part of the operation. You need to have all your energy. I'm stronger than I look, so don't worry, okay?"

Melissa pursed her lips at that, before nodding her head.

Chiyo hummed slightly, before stopping abruptly at the sight of a closed door. Iida nearly crashed into her back.

"Koumori-kun, why did-" He faltered upon the sight of the closed door.

Chiyo placed Melissa down on the ground, and let her feet touch the ground finally. She waited for the rest of the classmates to catch up.

"Should we break it?" Todoroki questioned, looking only slightly out of breath. Melissa shook her head, as she leaned against the railing.

"If we do that, the villains will be alerted of our location," She explained. Chiyo slumped at that.

"Then what the hell are we gonna do?" She questioned, folding her arms. Midoriya pursed his lips, before his eyes widened slightly. Chiyo followed his line of vision.

"Why don't we just use this?" Mineta questioned, as he pulled on a lever. A door opened automatically.

"Wait-"

"Mineta-kun-"

The light on the door flashed a bright red, beeping slightly.

Chiyo leaned against the railing, and let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding as Jirou shook Mineta by the shoulders.

 _(We are so unbelievably screwed-)_

* * *

Author's note: Next chapter will wrap up the movie and set up the summer training camp arc. Hope you guys enjoy it!

Poll Results:(Closing around Overhaul arc)

1)Yaoyorozu-55

2)Mirio-50

3)Todoroki-43(Got a lot of moments this chapter)

Questions:

How do you guys like the way I'm adapting the movie so far?

Any questions you guys have?

Chiyo's dress: (I can't insert the link. Look up Strapless Knee Length Chiffon Beach Bridesmaid Dresses Ruched Sashes Wedding Party)

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to leave a review!_


	34. Not actually a chapter(Sorry about this)

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia.

* * *

Hey guys, sorry that this isn't an update, but I feel like I've been holding out on you long enough. Most of you can probably already guess what I'm gonna talk about.

I've decided to rewrite Meraki from the beginning.

I know that I've rewritten a bunch of stories in the past, and haven't come back to them, and I honestly can't make any promises when it comes to the Meraki rewrite. But I will say that I'm still passionate about Chiyo's story, and would like to see it through to the end. I also plan to still keep this version up for a while.

I know this seems kinda drastic, but the reason I'm doing this is because I feel as if I'm not doing Chiyo's story justice. I feel as if I'm not properly portraying character relationships, and Chiyo's mental issues and trauma. I'm rereading the story, and I feel as if there are so many missed opportunities. I'm starting school again so i won't have the most time to write(I'm taking a lot of harder classes this year) but I've decided that this is what I want to do.

I know a lot of you enjoyed this story, and I'm truly grateful for that, but I feel as if it doesn't deserve all the positive comments. Many chapters were rushed, and weren't my best work. I'm glad you guys enjoyed this, but I feel like I can do better as a writer. I know it's probably not what you wanted to hear, but I've been feeling this way for a while now.

Plans for rewrite:  
The main pairing will be Chiyo x Momo since they lead in the poll.

I'll try and portray child abuse and the experiments Chiyo went through more accurately.

Spend a bit more time with Chiyo in the lab, and give some more background.

Just write more in depth when it comes to descriptions and emotions etc.

Deviate from canon a bit more

I can't say when I'll put the rewrite out, but I will say that I've already started chapter 1 and have planned out some things for the story. I'll try my best to get it out as soon as I can.

I've deleted a few of my stories, and put the rest on hiatus, so Meraki will be the main focus as of right now.

I'm sorry this couldn't be an update, and I hope you guys aren't too disappointed.

FINAL POLL RESULTS(I know I said I'd close it at the Overhaul arc, but this was around the time I had originally planned to get to the Overhaul arc anyway. Sorry to those who couldn't vote)

1) Momo Yaoyorozu-71 votes

2) Shouto Todoroki-70 votes

3) Mirio Togata-56 votes

Questions:

What are some things you'd like to see in the rewrite?

What do you think I can improve on as a writer?


	35. Chapter 35

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that chapter one of the rewrite is finally out.

Summary: She had dreamed of a better future. Chiyo would be damned if she didn't at least try to bring her dreams to fruition. Even if the world she had known wasn't the one Chiyo was met with. Semi-AU. Eventual Romance.

Hope you guys enjoy it!

P.S. I most likely won't be posting on this anymore. But I'll keep it up for a little while longer.


End file.
